nation
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na·tion
(nā′shən)n.
1.
a. A relatively large group of people organized under a single, usually independent government; a country.
b. The territory occupied by such a group of people: All across the nation, people are voting their representatives out.
2. The government of a sovereign state.
3. A people who share common customs, origins, history, and frequently language; a nationality: "Historically the Ukrainians are an ancient nation which has persisted and survived through terrible calamity" (Robert Conquest).
4.
a. A federation or tribe, especially one composed of Native Americans.
b. The territory occupied by such a federation or tribe.
[Middle English nacioun, from Old French nation, from Latin nātiō, nātiōn-, from nātus, past participle of nāscī, to be born; see genə- in Indo-European roots.]
na′tion·hood′ n.
na′tion·less adj.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
nation
(ˈneɪʃən)n
1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) an aggregation of people or peoples of one or more cultures, races, etc, organized into a single state: the Australian nation.
2. (Sociology) a community of persons not constituting a state but bound by common descent, language, history, etc: the French-Canadian nation.
3. (Sociology)
a. a federation of tribes, esp American Indians
b. the territory occupied by such a federation
[C13: via Old French from Latin nātiō birth, tribe, from nascī to be born]
ˈnationˌhood n
ˈnationless adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
na•tion
(ˈneɪ ʃən)n.
1. a body of people, associated with a particular territory, that is sufficiently conscious of its unity to seek or to possess a government peculiarly its own.
2. the territory or country itself.
3.
a. an American Indian people or tribe.
b. a member tribe of an American Indian confederation.
4. a people having the same ethnic ancestry, history, and culture, often speaking the same language.
[1250–1300; Middle English < Latin nātiō birth, people, nation]
na′tion•hood`, n.
na′tion•less, adj.
Na•tion
(ˈneɪ ʃən)n.
Carry or Carrie (Amelia Moore), 1846–1911, U.S. temperance leader.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
See also related terms for country.
nation
, country - A nation is made up of states—and a country is a nation defined geographically.See also related terms for states.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
Nation
inhabitants of a country; a community of men or animals; the people of the earth, collectively, 1667. See also people, race.Examples: nation of field and wood, 1733; of hedges and copses, 1726; of herbs, 1768; of sea, 1697; of unfortunate birds, 1590.
Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
nation
You use nation to refer to a country, together with its social and political structures.
These policies require cooperation between the world's industrialized nations.
You can also use nation to mean the people who live in a country.
He asked the nation to be patient.
Nation can also to refer to a group of people who are part of the same linguistic or historical group, even if they are not politically independent.
We studied the traditions and culture of the Great Sioux Nation.
Be Careful!
Don't use 'nation' simply to refer to a place. Don't say, for example, 'What nation do you come from?' When you are referring to a place, use country, not 'nation'.
There are over a hundred edible species growing in this country.
Have you any plans to leave the country in the next few days?
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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Noun | 1. | nation - a politically organized body of people under a single government; "the state has elected a new president"; "African nations"; "students who had come to the nation's capitol"; "the country's largest manufacturer"; "an industrialized land" commonwealth country - any of the countries in the British Commonwealth developing country - a country that is poor and whose citizens are mostly agricultural workers but that wants to become more advanced socially and economically Dominion - one of the self-governing nations in the British Commonwealth estate of the realm, the three estates, estate - a major social class or order of persons regarded collectively as part of the body politic of the country (especially in the United Kingdom) and formerly possessing distinct political rights foreign country - any state of which one is not a citizen; "working in a foreign country takes a bit of getting used to" Reich - the German state renegade state, rogue nation, rogue state - a state that does not respect other states in its international actions suzerain - a state exercising a degree of dominion over a dependent state especially in its foreign affairs sea power - a nation that possesses formidable naval strength great power, major power, superpower, world power, power - a state powerful enough to influence events throughout the world city state, city-state - a state consisting of a sovereign city ally - a friendly nation political entity, political unit - a unit with political responsibilities |
2. | nation - the people who live in a nation or country; "a statement that sums up the nation's mood"; "the news was announced to the nation"; "the whole country worshipped him" people - (plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively; "old people"; "there were at least 200 people in the audience" national, subject - a person who owes allegiance to that nation; "a monarch has a duty to his subjects" Dutch, Dutch people - the people of the Netherlands; "the Dutch are famous for their tulips" English people, English - the people of England Irish, Irish people - people of Ireland or of Irish extraction French people, French - the people of France Spanish people, Spanish - the people of Spain Swiss, Swiss people - the natives or inhabitants of Switzerland | |
3. | Nation - United States prohibitionist who raided saloons and destroyed bottles of liquor with a hatchet (1846-1911) | |
4. | nation - a federation of tribes (especially Native American tribes); "the Shawnee nation" federation of tribes, tribe - a federation (as of American Indians) U.S.A., United States, United States of America, US, USA, America, the States, U.S. - North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776 |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
nation
noun
1. country, state, nation state, power, land, federation, commonwealth, kingdom, realm, superpower, confederation, sovereign state, polity Such policies would require unprecedented cooperation between nations.
2. public, people, community, society, population, populace, body politic It was a story that touched the nation's heart.
Quotations
"For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom" Bible: St. Matthew
"No nation is fit to sit in judgement upon any other nation" [Woodrow Wilson speech]
"A nation is the same people living in the same place" [James Joyce Ulysses]
"For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom" Bible: St. Matthew
"No nation is fit to sit in judgement upon any other nation" [Woodrow Wilson speech]
"A nation is the same people living in the same place" [James Joyce Ulysses]
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
nation
nounAn organized geopolitical unit:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
أُمَّةٌأمَّهشَعْب، دَوْلَهوطن
národnárodnost
nationbefolkningfolk
nacio
kansakansakunta
nacija
nemzet
òjóîþjóð
国民
국가
karinė prievolėnacijanacionalinės nepriklausomybės siekimasnacionalinisnacionalistas
nācijapavalstniekitautavalsts
národ
naroddržava
nation
ประเทศ
quốc gia
nation
[ˈneɪʃən]Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
nation
n → Volk nt; (= people of one country) → Nation f; people of all nations → Menschen aller Nationen; the voice of the nation → die Stimme des Volkes; in the service of the nation → im Dienste des Volkes; to address the nation → zum Volk sprechen; the whole nation watched him do it → das ganze Land sah ihm dabei zu; the Sioux nation → die Siouxindianer pl, → das Volk der Sioux(indianer)
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
nation
(ˈneiʃən) noun1. a group of people living in a particular country, forming a single political and economic unit.
2. a large number of people who share the same history, ancestors, culture etc (whether or not they all live in the same country). the Jewish nation.
national (ˈnӕʃənəl) adjective of or belonging to a particular nation. national government; national pride.
ˈnationally adverbˈnationalism (ˈnӕ-) noun
1. a sense of pride in the history, culture, achievements etc of one's nation.
2. the desire to bring the people of one's nation together under their own government.
ˈnationalist (ˈnӕ-) nounˌnationaˈlistic adjective
nationality (nӕʃəˈnӕləti) – plural natioˈnalities – noun
(the state of belonging to) a particular nation. `What nationality are you?' `I'm German'; You can see (people of) many nationalities in London.
ˈnationalize, ˈnationalise (ˈnӕ-) verb to make (especially an industry) the property of the nation as a whole rather than the property of an individual.
ˌnationaliˈzation, ˌnationaliˈsation nounnational anthem
a nation's official song or hymn.
national service in some countries, a period of compulsory service in the armed forces.
ˌnation-ˈwide adjective, adverb (happening etc) throughout the whole nation. a nation-wide broadcast; They travelled nation-wide.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
nation
→ أُمَّةٌ národ nation Nation έθνος nación kansakunta nation nacija nazione 国民 국가 natie nasjon naród nação народ nation ประเทศ ulus quốc gia 国家Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009