Standard Lemma guide

national

adj · noun · 17 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈnaʃ.ə.nəl/
  • UK: [ˈnaʃ.ə.nɫ̩]
  • UK: /ˈnaʃ.n̩əl/
  • UK: [ˈnaʃ.n̩ɫ̩]
  • US: /ˈnæʃ.ə.nəl/
  • US: [ˈnæʃ.ə.nɫ̩]
  • US: /ˈnæʃ.n̩əl/
  • US: [ˈnæʃ.n̩ɫ̩]
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -æʃənəl
  • CMU ARPABET: N AE1 SH AH0 N AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: N AE1 SH N AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Pertaining to a nation or country, especially as a whole; affecting, shared by, or existing throughout all of a nation; the state.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • a national assembly · on the front page of every national newspaper
  • Import tariffs were raised for the national interest.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Belonging to or characteristic of a specific nation or country, as opposed to others.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • this is their national dish · our national tendency to laugh at the French

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Nationalistic; patriotic.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A subject of a nation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The diplomats were advised not to interact with any foreign nationals except on official duty.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A tournament in which participants from all over the nation compete.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: plural-normally

Examples

  • After winning the regional tournament, the team advanced to the nationals.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A national newspaper.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: plural-normally

Topics: journalism, media

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

Somebody born under the authority of a given country.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

A member of the National Party

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Australian, New-Zealand

Topics: government, politics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

Clipping of New Zealand National Party

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: New-Zealand, abbreviation, alt-of, clipping

Topics: government, politics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

adjective

Meaning 10

concerned with or applicable to or belonging to an entire nation or country

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the national government
  • national elections
  • of national concern
  • the national highway system
  • national forests

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: local

11

adjective

Meaning 11

limited to or in the interests of a particular nation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • national interests
  • isolationism is a strictly national policy

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: international

12

adjective

Meaning 12

of or relating to or belonging to a nation or country

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • national hero
  • national anthem
  • a national landmark

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

adjective

Meaning 13

of or relating to nationality

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • national origin

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

adjective

Meaning 14

characteristic of or peculiar to the people of a nation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a national trait

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

adjective satellite

Meaning 15

inside the country

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the British Home Office has broader responsibilities than the United States Department of the Interior
  • the nation's internal politics

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: home(a), interior(a), internal

Antonyms: none provided

16

adjective satellite

Meaning 16

owned or maintained for the public by the national government

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • national parks

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

17

noun

Meaning 17

a person who owes allegiance to that nation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a monarch has a duty to his subjects

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: subject

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: person, individual, someone, somebody, mortal, soul

Narrower terms: citizen, compatriot, patriot, nationalist

History

Etymology

From Middle French national, corresponding to nation + -al.

Across languages

Translations

175 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: nasionaal — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Albanian: kombëtar — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Arabic: وَطَنِيّ (waṭaniyy) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Arabic: قَوْمِيّ (qawmiyy) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Armenian: ազգային (azgayin) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Asturian: nacional — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Azerbaijani: milli — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Azerbaijani: ümummilli — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Bashkir: милли (milli) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Basque: herriko — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Basque: nazional — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Belarusian: нацыяна́льны (nacyjanálʹny) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Belarusian: наро́дны (naródny) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Belarusian: дзяржа́ўны (dzjaržáwny) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Bengali: জাতীয় (jatiẏo) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Bulgarian: национа́лен (nacionálen) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Bulgarian: наро́ден (naróden) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Bulgarian: държа́вен (dǎržáven) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Burmese: နိုင်ငံ (nuingngam) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Burmese: အမျိုးသား (a.myui:sa:) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Catalan: nacional — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Chinese Mandarin: 國家的 /国家的 (guójiā de) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Chinese Mandarin: 全國性 /全国性 (quánguóxìng) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Chinese Mandarin: 國民的 /国民的 (guómín de) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Chinese Mandarin: 國立的 /国立的 (guólì de) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Cornish: kenedhlek — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Czech: národní — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Czech: státní — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Danish: national — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Dhivehi: ޤައުމީ (qaumī) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Dutch: nationaal — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Dutch: landelijk — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Dutch: rijks- — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Esperanto: nacia — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Estonian: kodanik — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Estonian: rahvuslik — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Estonian: riiklik — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Finnish: kansallinen — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Finnish: kansallis- — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Finnish: kansan- — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Finnish: valtakunnan- — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • French: national — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Galician: nacional — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Georgian: ეროვნული (erovnuli) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Georgian: ნაციონალური (nacionaluri) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • German: national — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • German: Staats- — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Greek: εθνικός (ethnikós) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Ancient Greek: ἐθνικός (ethnikós) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Gujarati: રાષ્ટ્રિય (rāṣṭriya) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Gujarati: રાષ્ટ્રીય (rāṣṭrīya) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Haitian Creole: nasyonal — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Hebrew: לאומי \ לְאֻמִּי (l'umí) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Hebrew: אַרְצִי (artsí) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Hindi: राष्ट्रीय (rāṣṭrīya) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Hungarian: nemzeti — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Hungarian: országos — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Hungarian: állami — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Hunsrik: nazional — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Icelandic: þjóðlegur — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Indonesian: nasional — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Ingush: халкъа (xalqʼa) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Irish: náisiúnta — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Italian: nazionale — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Japanese: 国家の (kokka no) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Japanese: 国民の (kokumin no) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Japanese: 国立の (kokuritsu no) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Kazakh: ұлттық (ūlttyq) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Khmer: ជាតិ (ciət) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Korean: 국가의 (gukgaui) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Korean: 국민의 (gungminui) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Korean: 국립 (gungnip) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Central Kurdish: نەتەوەیی (neteweyî) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Northern Kurdish: neteweyî — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Northern Kurdish: millî — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Kyrgyz: улуттук (uluttuk) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Lao: ຊາດ (sāt) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Latin: nātiōnālis — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Latvian: nacionāls — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Lithuanian: nacionalinis — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Macedonian: национа́лен (nacionálen) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Macedonian: народен (naroden) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Malay: nasional — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Malay: bangsa — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Malay: kebangsaan — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Malayalam: ദേശീയ (dēśīya) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Maltese: nazzjonali — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Manchu: ᡤᡠᡵᡠᠨ ᡳ (gurun-i) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Marathi: राष्ट्रीय (rāṣṭrīya) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Mongolian: үндэсний (ündesnii) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Mongolian: улсын (ulsyn) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Mongolian: ᠦᠨᠳᠦᠰᠦᠨ ᠦ (ündüsün-ü) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Nepali: राष्ट्रिय (rāṣṭriya) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Norwegian Bokmål: nasjonal — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: nasjonal — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Occitan: nacional — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Pashto: ملي (millí) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Persian: ملی (melli) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Persian: ناسیونال (nâsiyonâl) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Polish: narodowy — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Polish: nacjonalny — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Portuguese: nacional — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Punjabi: ਰਾਸ਼ਟਰੀ (rāśṭarī) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Romanian: național — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Romansh: naziunal — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Russian: национа́льный (nacionálʹnyj) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Russian: наро́дный (naródnyj) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Russian: госуда́рственный (gosudárstvennyj) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Sanskrit: राष्ट्रीय (rāṣṭrīya) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Scots: naitional — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Scottish Gaelic: nàiseanta — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Serbo-Croatian: национални — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Serbo-Croatian: народни — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Serbo-Croatian: nacionalni — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Serbo-Croatian: narodni — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Sicilian: nazziunali — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Slovak: národný — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Slovene: državen — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Slovene: naroden — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Slovene: nacionalen — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Spanish: nacional — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Spanish: patrio — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Sranan Tongo: fu kondre — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Swedish: nationell — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Tagalog: nasyonal — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Tagalog: pambansa — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Tajik: миллӣ (milli) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Tamil: தேசிய (tēciya) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Tatar: милли (milli) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Telugu: జాతీయ (jātīya) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Thai: ประจําชาติ (bprà jam châat) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Thai: ชาติ (châat) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Tibetan: རྒྱལ་ཁབ་ཀྱི་ (rgyal khab kyi) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Turkish: millî — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Turkish: ulusal — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Turkish: ulusluk — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Turkmen: milli — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Ukrainian: націона́льний (nacionálʹnyj) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Ukrainian: наро́дний (naródnyj) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Ukrainian: держа́вний (deržávnyj) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Urdu: قومی (qaumi) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Urdu: ملکی (mulki) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Uyghur: مىللىي (milliy) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Uyghur: دۆلەتلىك (döletlik) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Uzbek: milliy — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Uzbek: davlat — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Vietnamese: dân tộc — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Vietnamese: quốc gia — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Welsh: cenedlaethol — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Yiddish: נאַציאָנאַל (natsyonal) — pertaining to a nation or country; the state
  • Armenian: քաղաքացի (kʻaġakʻacʻi) — subject
  • Bulgarian: поданик (podanik) — subject
  • Burmese: နိုင်ငံသား (nuingngamsa:) — subject
  • Burmese: အမျိုးသား (a.myui:sa:) — subject
  • Finnish: kansalainen — subject
  • Galician: cidadán — subject
  • German: Staatsangehöriger — subject
  • German: Staatsangehörige — subject
  • German: Staatsbürger — subject
  • German: Staatsbürgerin — subject
  • German: Bürger — subject
  • German: Bürgerin — subject
  • Hindi: राष्ट्रीय (rāṣṭrīya) — subject
  • Ingrian: maakkoin — subject
  • Irish: náisiúnach — subject
  • Latin: gentilicius — subject
  • Latin: gentīlicia — subject
  • Latin: gentīlicium — subject
  • Russian: гражданин (graždanin) — subject
  • Spanish: ciudadano — subject
  • Swedish: medborgare — subject
  • Finnish: kansallinen kilpailu — tournament
  • French: national — born in a given country
  • French: nationale — born in a given country
  • Italian: nazionale — born in a given country
Real reading context

national in complete knowledge articles