nation
noun
a large body of people, associated with a particular territory, that is sufficiently conscious of its unity to seek or to possess a government peculiarly its own.
nation
1 American
[nay-shuhn]
/ ˈneɪ ʃən /
noun
-
nations
plural
-
a large body of people, associated with a particular territory, that is sufficiently conscious of its unity to seek or to possess a government peculiarly its own.
The president spoke to the nation about the new tax.
-
the territory or country itself.
the nations of Central America.
- Synonyms:
- realm, kingdom, commonwealth, state
-
a member tribe of an American Indian confederation.
-
an aggregation of persons of the same ethnic family, often speaking the same language or cognate languages.
Nation
2
American
[nay-shuhn]
/ ˈneɪ ʃən /
noun
nation
British
/ ˈneɪʃən /
noun
-
an aggregation of people or peoples of one or more cultures, races, etc, organized into a single state
the Australian nation
-
a community of persons not constituting a state but bound by common descent, language, history, etc
the French-Canadian nation
-
-
a federation of tribes, esp American Indians
-
the territory occupied by such a federation
-
Synonym Usage
See race 2.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of nation
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Latin nātiōn- (stem of nātiō ) “birth, tribe,” equivalent to nāt(us) (past participle of nāscī “to be born”) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
A nation is a country and its people. It's also the word used for the Native American tribal federations in the US — the Cherokee Nation, for instance — which have their own governments and territories. Nation comes from the Latin root nat-, which means "born" — the neonatal unit in a hospital is where the newborn babies are cared for. You can also use nation more loosely for ethnic or religious groups: you might speak of "the Jewish nation," meaning not just the country, or nation, of Israel, but Jews all over the world. The Nation of Islam is an African-American Muslim group.
Vocabulary lists containing nation
Human Geography - Middle School
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Michelle Obama's Speech at the 2016 DNC
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Human Geography - High School
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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.
See Examples For:
An investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project in 2024 alleged Zhao operated as a key pointman for Beijing's interests in Fiji and was a naturalised citizen of the Pacific nation.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Once the lines met, the nation would be joined from coast to coast.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
There were no reports yet of casualties but extensive damage was expected, particularly in the center of the Central American nation.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
The Florida vote comes as homeowners across the nation have expressed frustration over big jumps in their property taxes.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
When Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai erupted in January 2022, the island nation of Tonga was largely disconnected from the rest of the world.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
A phone call in the middle of the night informs Armand of a body to be found in Lost Nation, a place even harder to locate than Three Pines.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
“The charts of bitcoin, and other leading cryptos, continue to look encouraging from a technical point of view,” David Morrison, senior market analyst at Trade Nation, said in recent emailed notes to clients.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026
The partnership between Garelick’s American High Studios, Live Nation Studios, and, in turn, the Rolling Loud founders and organizers, was essential to make that goal achievable.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Tsawwassen First Nation is home to 491 members, according to its website, with half living on Tsawwassen lands and others in nearby areas, including across the border in Bellingham, Washington.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
My father wore it that weekend, and then some days I’d come home from school to see it on my mother or on Nation.
From "I Will Always Write Back" by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda
But the border between the two nations stretches for hundreds of kilometres through remote terrain, making it difficult to police.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
Seoul later demanded Ukraine apologise for "announcing a falsehood" and said its actions had seriously damaged trust between the two nations.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
But she said Pacific nations had put their hopes "front and centre" and welcomed plans for a presidency-led decision at the end of COP31.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
Israel remains among the 10 happiest nations in the world.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
You recall your name perfectly well, know what year it is, and can correctly identify the capitals of at least a few midsized European nations.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
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.
