ethnonationalism

[ eth-noh-nash-uh-nl-iz-uhm, -nashnuh-liz- ]

noun

1. the belief, theory, or doctrine that shared ancestry is the principal element of a cohesive national identity, and that a government should protect and promote the culture, language, and religion of one group, considered the primary or prestigious people of a nation, over other cultures, languages, or religions that may share that space in a multicultural society.

Other Words From

• eth·no·na·tion·al·ist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of ethnonationalism¹

First recorded in 1955–60; ethno- ( def ) + nationalism ( def )