multinational
Americannoun
adjective
-
of, relating to, or involving several nations.
-
noting or pertaining to multinationals.
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
- multinationalism noun
- multinationally adverb
Etymology
Origin of multinational
Explanation
When something is described as multinational, it involves more than two countries. A multinational corporation buys and sells in several countries, and it may also have offices in these countries. A multinational conflict is a war that involves the governments of three or more countries. Multinational peacekeepers might be from an organization like the United Nations (which could also be described as a multinational organization), working in many countries toward a peaceful agreement between them. The adjective multinational uses the prefix multi-, or "many," adding it to national, from the Latin nationem, "birth, kind, or tribe."
Vocabulary lists containing multinational
Political Geography - Middle School
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Political Geography - High School
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Economics
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The UK and France will lead a multinational mission to protect commercial shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz, Sir Keir Starmer has said.
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on Friday that his country and France would lead a multinational mission to protect commercial shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz.
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
France and Britain will work on putting together a "peaceful multinational mission" to restore traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, but it would be "separate from the warring parties", said French President Emmanuel Macron.
From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026
Both CalPERS and CalSTRS unveiled sustainable investments strategies to increase holdings in low-carbon assets and other climate solutions several years ago, but continue to invest in multinational oil giants such as ExxonMobil and Chevron.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026
Through an employment agency she got a job as a secretary at ICI, a multinational pharmaceutical company in Braamfontein, a suburb of Johannesburg.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
