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• national park
  national park

  noun

  an area of scenic beauty, historical importance, or the like, owned and maintained by a national government for the use of the people.
• National Park
  National Park

  noun

  a mountainous volcanic region in New Zealand, in the central North Island: ski resort

national park

American  

noun

1. an area of scenic beauty, historical importance, or the like, owned and maintained by a national government for the use of the people.

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National Park ¹ British  

noun

1. a mountainous volcanic region in New Zealand, in the central North Island: ski resort

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national park ² British  

noun

1. an area of countryside for public use designated by a national government as being of notable scenic, environmental, or historical importance

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Etymology

Origin of national park

An Americanism dating back to 1865–70

Compare meaning

How does national-park compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• national monument vs. national park

Example Sentences

The funding for both contracts comes from the entrance fees paid by national park visitors.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

America’s most-visited national park is home to 19 different firefly species.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026

The couple will later meet with Native Americans at a national park, before departing for the British island territory of Bermuda in the Atlantic.

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

In 2021, Parks Canada, which oversees the national park, was working out whether to try to save them by investing some $24 million in a major caribou breeding program.

From Slate • Apr. 28, 2026

We fed salt to some Nilgiri tahrs—a species of wild goat—in a national park.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

Related Words

• preserve
• reservation
• reserve