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

2

: nationalism sense 1

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.

Synonyms

• ethnicity
• nation
• race

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

Both Coast Guard and Royal Bahamas Defense Force officials contacted by the Miami Herald said the nationalities of the people on the vessel was not known. —David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 19 July 2024

According to 2021 census data, the largest population of Mecklenburg County residents whose nationality is tied to countries on the Caribbean Sea (not including Mexico) is Hondurans with 20,500 people, followed by Puerto Ricans with about 11,800. —Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2024

But across the United States today, the Grand Old Party, polls show, has the attention of a broader swath of Latino voters who represent a multitude of nationalities, interests, beliefs, life experiences and cultural differences. —Antonio Fins, USA TODAY, 17 July 2024

Nokia’s people are drawn from more than 160 different nationalities working across 130 countries. —Pekka Lundmark, Fortune Europe, 16 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1691, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids 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