nationality
noun
na·tion·al·i·ty
ˌna-shə-ˈna-lə-tē 
ˌnash-ˈna-
plural nationalities
1
: national character
the nationality of Ireland is in her songs and in her stories, and in her chronicles and in her tradition—
W. B. Yeats
W. B. Yeats2
: loyalty and devotion to a nation
3
a
: national status
specifically
: a legal relationship involving allegiance on the part of an individual and usually protection on the part of the state
nationality bestowed by birth
b
: membership in a particular nation
Vietnamese nationality
4
: political independence or existence as a separate nation
5
a
: a people having a common origin, tradition, and language and capable of forming or actually constituting a nation-state
The diverse nationalities of the Austro-Hungarian Empire desired independence.
b
: an ethnic group constituting one element of a larger unit (such as a nation)
The country is home to five nationalities.
Examples of nationality in a Sentence
The country is home to five nationalities and seven languages.
people of all races and nationalities
She's American, but her parents are of Japanese nationality.
He has held French nationality for the past 20 years.
The university has students of over 50 nationalities.
Recent Examples on the Web
Some of the victims were foreign nationals, though authorities have not disclosed specifics regarding their identities or nationalities.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
Authorities did not identify the victims or disclose their nationalities, but said some foreign nationals were among the dead.
—Andrei Khalip, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Conducted annually since 2014, the study gathered insights from more than 10,000 expats representing 172 nationalities living in countries and territories worldwide.
—Ernestine Siu, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
The Argentina golden visa program is expected to ask for an investment of $500,000 in sectors like technology, agribusiness, energy, or tourism in return for the immediate right to live there and seek nationality.
—Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nationality
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
Authorities did not identify the victims or disclose their nationalities, but said some foreign nationals were among the dead.
—Andrei Khalip, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Conducted annually since 2014, the study gathered insights from more than 10,000 expats representing 172 nationalities living in countries and territories worldwide.
—Ernestine Siu, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
The Argentina golden visa program is expected to ask for an investment of $500,000 in sectors like technology, agribusiness, energy, or tourism in return for the immediate right to live there and seek nationality.
—Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nationality
Cite this Entry
“Nationality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nationality. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nationality
noun
na·tion·al·i·ty
ˌnash-(ə-)ˈnal-ət-ē
plural nationalities
1
: the fact or state of belonging to a nation
a person of French nationality
2
: political independence as a nation
3
: a people having a common beginning, tradition, or language
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