nationality

noun

na·tion·al·i·ty | \ ˌna-shə-ˈna-lə-tē,

ˌnash-ˈna-\

plural nationalities

Definition of nationality

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

3a : 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

5a : 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 More Example Sentences Learn More about nationality

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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

The global capital hosts nuptials for an awesome range of nationalities, and its cuisine-smart residents know their way around gastronomy. — Josh Snider, Popular Mechanics, "The Ferocious Cooking of Fig and Pig," 7 Dec. 2018 That’s the focus of this novel, as York is assigned to the upcoming Martian mission, along with 13 other astronauts of various nationalities, who will set up the first outpost. — Andrew Liptak, The Verge, "The Lady Astronaut novels are an enthralling alternate history of the space race," 22 Aug. 2018 Your nationality doesn’t define you as a person, but there aren’t many ways to show love for your connection to home and for many, this is the most obvious one. — Martin Rogers, USA TODAY, "Why England's World Cup pain hurts so much," 11 July 2018 Asylum, the right to remain in the country, requires proof that an immigrant faces persecution because of his or her race, religion, nationality, political views or membership in a particular social group. — Hamed Aleaziz, SFChronicle.com, "Sessions: Domestic violence not grounds for asylum," 11 June 2018 As the struggle to survive intensified, prisoners fought among themselves in what devolved into tribal warfare between nationalities. — James M. Scott, WSJ, "Five Best: James M. Scott," 8 Nov. 2018 While Tarek's ethnicity is half Middle-Eastern, his nationality is American, as he was born and raised in the United States. — Taysha Murtaugh, Country Living, "Tarek El Moussa of 'Flip or Flop' Has the Most Interesting Family History," 20 Sep. 2018 No information has been given about the passengers and their nationalities, or what sort of injuries there are. — Katherine Lagrave, Condé Nast Traveler, "Denali Plane Crash: Search Continues for Survivors," 6 Aug. 2018 When picking team managers, wise countries pass over their national heroes and appoint managers of any nationality who have proved themselves in western Europe’s tough football leagues. — The Economist, "For all its faults, the World Cup in Russia is worth celebrating," 9 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nationality.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.