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

Around the same historical period, Israel instituted a divided education system based on nationality and religious observance, with four distinct school streams: Jewish secular, orthodox and ultra-orthodox schools taught primarily in Hebrew, and Arab schools taught in Arabic. —Ayala Hendin, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2025

Italian American Social Club of Central Florida: All nationalities are welcome. —Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Jan. 2025

Matt Freese* was among the best goalkeepers of any nationality in the 2024 MLS season, helping New York City FC outlast Cincinnati in the playoffs, including some shootout heroics. —Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 15 Jan. 2025

The report also highlighted the presence of French movies on streaming services and revealed that France ranked fifth in terms of nationality of foreign film released on streaming services in 2024 with a 3.8% market share. —Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 13 Jan. 2025

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