nation

noun

na·​tion ˈnā-shən 

1

a(1)

: nationality sense 5a

three Slav peoples … forged into a Yugoslavia without really fusing into a Yugoslav nation

—Hans Kohn

(2)

: a politically organized nationality

(3)

in the Bible : a non-Jewish nationality

why do the nations conspire

—Psalms 2:1 (Revised Standard Version)

b

: a community of people composed of one or more nationalities and possessing a more or less defined territory and government

Canada is a nation with a written constitution

—B. K. Sandwell

c

: a territorial division containing a body of people of one or more nationalities and usually characterized by relatively large size and independent status

a nation of vast size with a small population

—Mary K. Hammond

2

archaic : group, aggregation

3

: a tribe or federation of tribes (as of American Indians)

the Seminole Nation in Oklahoma

Synonyms

• commonwealth
• country
• land
• sovereignty
• sovranty
• state

Examples of nation in a Sentence

It's one of the richest nations in the world.

the largest state in the nation

The President will speak to the nation tonight.

The entire nation is celebrating the victory.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Food Insecurity Crisis Caribbean nations are net importers of food, a reality Dukharan believes is directly tied to their colonial past. —Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024

The third-largest Caribbean nation by population, Cuba celebrates its independence annually on October 10. —Tracy Scott Forson, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Oct. 2024

The Biden administration has sought to broker a normalization agreement between the two nations, and Graham warned that the next U.S. administration might be unable to secure enough votes in support of a deal. —NBC News, 9 Oct. 2024

The weight loss drugs have proven popular in a nation where nearly 2 in 5 adults have obesity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates. —Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 9 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English nacioun, from Anglo-French naciun, from Latin nation-, natio birth, race, nation, from nasci to be born; akin to Latin gignere to beget — more at kin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing nation

• nation-state
• the nation

Kids Definition

nation

noun

na·​tion ˈnā-shən 

1

: nationality sense 3

2

: a community of people composed of one or more nationalities usually with its own territory and government

3

: the territory of a nation

Biographical Definition

Nation

biographical name

Na·​tion ˈnā-shən 

Car*ry ˈker-ē 

ˈka-rē

Amelia 1846–1911 née Moore American temperance agitator