nonnationals
|non-na-tion-als|
🇺🇸
/ˌnɑnˈnæʃənəlz/
🇬🇧
/ˌnɒnˈnæʃənəlz/
(nonnational)
not belonging to the nation
Etymology
'nonnational' originates from the prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non', meaning 'not') combined with 'national' (from French 'national', from Latin 'natio'/'nation-', meaning 'birth, origin').
'nonnational' developed as a compound in Modern English by joining the negative prefix 'non-' to the adjective 'national' (earlier English forms appear as 'non-national' in 19th–20th century usage), with 'national' itself coming via French from Latin 'natio'.
Initially it simply indicated 'not national' (i.e., not pertaining to the nation); over time it has been used specifically to describe persons who do not hold the nationality of a given state ('non-citizens' or 'foreign nationals').
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'nonnational': people who are not nationals (citizens) of the country in question; foreign nationals or non-citizens living in or visiting a country.
Nonnationals must register with immigration within 30 days of arrival.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/07 15:08