nationalisation
|na-tion-al-i-sa-tion|
🇺🇸
/ˌnæʃənələˈzeɪʃən/
🇬🇧
/ˌnæʃənəlaɪˈzeɪʃən/
make state-owned
Etymology
'nationalisation' originates from English, formed from 'nationalize' + the noun-forming suffix '-ation'; 'nationalize' itself comes via French 'nationaliser', where 'nation' (from Latin 'natio') meant 'birth, people' and the suffixes '-al' and '-ize' create an adjective and verb respectively.
'nationalisation' developed from Middle French 'nationaliser' and modern French 'nationalisation'; the English verb 'nationalize' was adopted in the 19th century and the noun 'nationalisation' followed as the act or result of that verb, becoming standard in British English (US uses the spelling 'nationalization').
Initially related to 'nation' in the sense of 'belonging to a nation' or 'relating to the people' (from Latin roots), the term shifted in modern usage to specifically mean 'making (property or industries) owned or controlled by the state'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the act or process of transferring privately owned businesses, industries, or assets into state (government) ownership or control.
The nationalisation of the railways was proposed to improve coordination and safety.
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Noun 2
the formal declaration or policy of making an institution or sector part of the nation’s assets or under national authority (often for political, economic, or emergency reasons).
During the financial crisis, several banks came under nationalisation to prevent collapse.
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Last updated: 2025/11/08 13:28