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

Asylum seekers People come to the U.S. every year seeking protection from persecution for a number of reasons, ranging from race and religion to nationality and political opinion. —Nushrat Rahman, Detroit Free Press, 15 Nov. 2024

The InterNations report found that Costa Rica is the country with the highest share of American expats compared to other nationalities, with 43% coming from the US. —Amelia Mularz, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2024

Hate co-founder Manjusha Kulkarni, who pointed to past studies that show 43% of South Asian adults experienced a hate act in 2023 because of their race, ethnicity or nationality. —Niala Boodhoo, Axios, 9 Oct. 2024

The prize is open to artists of all ages, genders and nationalities, and the grant recipients also receive mentoring from Chanel’s art partners. —Samantha Conti, WWD, 26 Sep. 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