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

: 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.

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

Presently, there are nearly 400,000 students of 185 nationalities enrolled in Dubai’s private schools, according to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), the private school regulator. —Anu Raghunathan, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025

Nawrocki, 42, a newcomer to politics who previously ran a national remembrance institute, campaigned on a promise to ensure economic and social policies favour Poles over other nationalities, including refugees from neighbouring Ukraine. —Anna Magdalena Lubowicka, USA Today, 3 June 2025

While factors like nationality and legal representation play a key role, many applicants do not ultimately meet the high legal threshold to win asylum, government figures show. —June 3, CBS News, 3 June 2025

Such interviews determine if the person has reason to fear persecution due to race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion if returned to their home country. —Suzanne Gamboa, NBC news, 30 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1691, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for nationality

• abnormality
• cardinality
• commonality
• communality
• cordiality
• corporeality
• criminality
• criticality
• functionality
• generality
• geniality
• hospitality

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