nation-state

American  

[ney-shuhn-steyt] / ˈneɪ ʃənˌsteɪt /

noun

1. a sovereign state inhabited by a relatively homogeneous group of people who share a feeling of common nationality.

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nation-state British  

noun

1. an independent state inhabited by all the people of one nation and one nation only

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Etymology

Origin of nation-state

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

The Renaissance revived themis and unleashed the scientific revolution as the epitome of techne; the Protestant Reformation made the nation-state and democracy the vehicles of both.

From The Wall Street Journal

But the idea of linguistic commonality among members of a nation-state was not ever a demand for monolingualism.

From Salon

Since the modern nation-state system was organized by the Treaty of Westphalia in 1688, state sovereignty has been the bedrock of international law.

From Los Angeles Times

His coverage focuses on the national security and geopolitical dimensions of nation-state hacking conflict, digital espionage, online influence operations, election interference, and government surveillance.

From The Wall Street Journal

To them, the nation-state is something to be developed, not erased.

From The Wall Street Journal