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. the National
   short for the Grand National

Derived Forms

• ˈnationally, adverb

Other Words From

• nation·al·ly adverb
• anti·nation·al adjective
• anti·nation·al·ly adverb
• non·nation·al adjective noun
• non·nation·al·ly adverb
• pre·nation·al adjective
• pro·nation·al adjective
• pseudo·nation·al adjective
• pseudo·nation·al·ly adverb
• quasi-nation·al adjective
• quasi-nation·al·ly adverb
• sub·nation·al adjective
• un·nation·al adjective
• un·nation·al·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of national¹

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

Example Sentences

The president met his national security team at the White House on Sunday morning.

From BBC

"You have the right to education, to freedom of expression. You have the right to a name and a national identity," the rapper read to the class.

From BBC

Now he's using his real name, Ahmed al-Sharaa, rather than his nom de guerre as a sign of his sudden rise to a much greater national role.

From BBC

Different leadership at national health agencies could also affect the availability or cost of vaccines.

From Los Angeles Times

Trump’s mass deportation plans will also include declaring a state of national emergency and ordering the use of the United States military — potentially against American citizens.

From Salon

Related Words

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