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

What Countries Allow Birthright Citizenship? While the United States is one of the most prominent examples, other nations also grant birthright citizenship. —Justin Gest, Newsweek, 21 Jan. 2025

Such a move against Canada would hit its economy hard considering the two nations do in excess of half a trillion dollars a year in trade. —Jeff Cox, CNBC, 21 Jan. 2025

Connecticut led the way at the founding of our nation. —Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 20 Jan. 2025

Thousands of miles away, in Madagascar, a nation celebrated for its biodiversity— yet vulnerable to climate change— agriculture sustains over 80% of the population. —Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025

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