Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

nationality

American  
[nash-uh-nal-i-tee] / ˌnæʃ əˈnæl ɪ ti /

noun

plural

nationalities

  1. the status of belonging to a particular nation, whether by birth or naturalization.

    the nationality of an immigrant.

  2. the relationship of property, holdings, etc., to a particular nation, or to one or more of its members.

    the nationality of a ship.

  3. nationalism.

  4. existence as a distinct nation; national independence.

    a small colony that has just achieved nationality.

  5. a nation or people.

    the nationalities of the Americas.

  6. a national quality or character.

    Nationalities tend to submerge and disappear in a metropolis.
nationality British  
/ ˌnæʃəˈnælɪtɪ /

noun

  1. the state or fact of being a citizen of a particular nation

  2. a body of people sharing common descent, history, language, etc; a nation

  3. a national group

    30 different nationalities are found in this city

  4. national character or quality

  5. the state or fact of being a nation; national status

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of nationality

First recorded in 1685–95; national + -ity

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.

Mosengo-Omba, who hails from the Democratic Republic of Congo but also holds Swiss nationality, was appointed general secretary in March 2021.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

To be eligible for asylum, a non-citizen had to demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country due to their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

We were able to combine these two datasets using fields common to both of them, including date of arrest, gender, age, nationality, location and method of arrest.

From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026

Tajikistan's President, Emomali Rakhmon, said at the time of the attack that "terrorists have no nationality".

From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026

Few people were aware of her nationality; she spoke English so well that other students assumed she was American.

From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John

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.