national

[nash-uh-nl, nash-nuhl]

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.

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

/ 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

noun

1. a citizen or subject

2. a national newspaper

National

²

/ ˈnæʃənəl /

noun

1. short for the Grand National

Other Word Forms

• nationally adverb
• antinational adjective
• antinationally 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of national¹

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

Example Sentences

In the new lawsuit, the federal government is seeking to recover costs for the damage the 2019 fire caused to 800 acres of national forest, including for the destruction of wildlife and habitats.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The Biden administration ramped up those restrictions, saying they were nonnegotiable matters of national security.

Read more on Barron's

Both of Wong’s grandmothers, who were born in the U.S., lost their citizenship when they married male Chinese nationals — the impact of the Chinese Exclusion Act, which went into effect in 1882.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

That looked to be in serious doubt a year ago when Labour swept to power at Westminster having comprehensively defeated the SNP in a national election for the first time in 14 years.

Read more on BBC

In the email to Powell - the current UK government's national security adviser - Lord Mandelson refers to Epstein as "safe".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• civil 
• communal 
• domestic 
• ethnic 
• governmental www.thesaurus.com
• internal 
• interstate 
• nationwide 
• public 
• social