international

American  

[in-ter-nash-uh-nl, -nash-nl] / ˌɪn tərˈnæʃ ə nl, -ˈnæʃ nl /

adjective

1. between or among nations; involving two or more nations.

   international trade.

2. of or relating to two or more nations or their citizens.

   a matter of international concern.

3. pertaining to the relations between nations.

   international law.

4. having members or activities in several nations.

   an international organization.

5. transcending national boundaries or viewpoints.

   an international benefit;

   an international reputation.

   Synonyms:

   cosmopolitan, worldwide

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noun

1. (initial capital letter) any of several international socialist or communist organizations formed in the 19th and 20th centuries.

2. (sometimes initial capital letter) a labor union having locals in two or more countries.

3. an organization, enterprise, or group, especially a major business concern, having branches, dealings, or members in several countries.

4. an employee, especially an executive, assigned to work in a foreign country or countries by a business or organization that has branches or dealings in several countries.

international ¹ British  

/ ˌɪntəˈnæʃənəl /

adjective

1. of, concerning, or involving two or more nations or nationalities

2. established by, controlling, or legislating for several nations

   an international court

   international fishing rights

3. available for use by all nations

   international waters

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noun

1. sport

   1. a contest between two national teams

   2. a member of these teams

International ² British  

/ ˌɪntəˈnæʃənəl /

noun

1. any of several international socialist organizations See Comintern First International Labour and Socialist International Second International Socialist International Trotskyist International Vienna Union

2. a member of any of these organizations

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International Cultural  

1. An international organization of workers founded by Karl Marx (see also Marx) in the 1860s. Weakened by disputes, it was dissolved in 1876, but it was succeeded by three later Internationals, which sought to spread communism throughout the world. The most effective of these was the Third International, formed by the Soviet Union in 1919 and dissolved in 1943 by Joseph Stalin.

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Other Word Forms

• internationality noun
• internationally adverb
• noninternational adjective
• pseudointernational adjective
• quasi-international adjective
• uninternational adjective

Etymology

Origin of international

First recorded in 1770–80; inter- + national

Example Sentences

The pricing structure will launch later this month in select markets for long-haul international, transcontinental U.S. and select Hawaii flights, with a broader rollout expected later this year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says the club have "a very good relationship" with most national teams, despite 11 of the Gunners' players withdrawing from international duty during the most recent window.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

On March 18, Dakar called for an international investigation into "allegations of corruption within the CAF leadership" in a statement that sent a chill through Morocco.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Here is a possible timeline for the complicated process of restoring the full international flow of crude oil and liquefied natural gas, as explained by Myra P. Saefong in the Commodities Corner column.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

There was no such thing as a permanent international alliance, only permanent national interests.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Related Words

• foreign
• global
• universal