National
|na-tion-al|
/ˈnæʃənəl/
(national)
relating to a nation
Etymology
'national' originates from French, specifically the word 'national', which in turn comes from Late Latin 'nationalis' (from Latin 'natio') meaning 'birth, origin, nation'.
'national' changed from Late Latin 'nationalis' to Old French 'national' and entered English via Middle English as 'national'.
Initially it meant 'of birth or origin' and later came to mean 'relating to a nation' in the modern sense.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a citizen of a particular nation; a person who belongs to a nation by birth or naturalization.
She is a French national.
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Adjective 1
relating to a nation as a whole; concerning the whole country rather than a part of it.
The government announced a new national education policy.
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Adjective 2
common to or shared by the people of a nation; recognized across the whole country (e.g., national holiday, national symbol).
New Year's Day is a national holiday.
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Last updated: 2025/09/29 14:50