national

American  

[nash-uh-nl, nash-nuhl] / ˈnæʃ ə nl, ˈnæʃ nəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or maintained by a nation as an organized whole or independent political unit.

   national affairs.

2. owned, preserved, or maintained by the federal government.

   a national wildlife refuge.

3. peculiar or common to the whole people of a country.

   national customs.

4. devoted to one's own nation, its interests, etc.; patriotic.

   to stir up national pride.

5. nationalist.

6. concerning or encompassing an entire nation.

   a national radio network.

7. limited to one nation.

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noun

1. a citizen or subject of a particular nation who is entitled to its protection.

   U.S. nationals living abroad.

2. Often nationals. a national competition, tournament, or the like.

   We're invited to Minneapolis for the nationals.

3. a national company or organization.

national ¹ British  

/ ˈnæʃənəl /

adjective

1. of, involving, or relating to a nation as a whole

2. of, relating to, or characteristic of a particular nation

   the national dress of Poland

3. rare nationalistic or patriotic

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noun

1. a citizen or subject

2. a national newspaper

National ² British  

/ ˈnæʃənəl /

noun

1. short for the Grand National

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Other Word Forms

• antinational adjective
• antinationally adverb
• nationally adverb
• nonnational adjective
• nonnationally adverb
• prenational adjective
• pronational adjective
• pseudonational adjective
• pseudonationally adverb
• quasi-national adjective
• quasi-nationally adverb
• subnational adjective
• unnational adjective
• unnationally adverb

Etymology

Origin of national

First recorded in 1590–1600; nation + -al ¹

Explanation

National is an adjective that refers to something or someone that belongs to a nation or country. Baseball is the national pastime of the United States. The word national describes anything that is common to, shared by, or represents a group of people or a place that is considered a nation, like the national anthem sung before the national pastime of baseball. National statistics provide information about a country as a whole. During times of war, the national mood is usually tense and sad. A national is also a citizen of a nation. You might be called an “American national” if you are an American living in Paris.

Example Sentences

Telemundo’s national newscast, anchored by Vaqueiro, averages 1.2 million viewers, its largest audience in years.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

“The fallout — economics, public safety and national security — could be severe.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 11, 2026

Biotech is one of the advanced technologies that China has designated a national priority.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

If provinces deem that they're not "strategic" water reserves, they can take them off Ianigla's national inventory, meaning they will no longer have those environmental protections.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Pandas are beloved the world over, but nowhere more so than in their home country, where they are considered a national treasure.

From "Camp Panda" by Catherine Thimmesh

Related Words

• civil
• communal
• domestic
• ethnic
• governmental
• internal
• interstate
• nationwide
• public
• social