n. [ F. nation, L. natio nation, race, orig., a being born, fr. natus, p. p. of nasci, to be born, for gnatus, gnasci, from the same root as E. kin. √44. See Kin kindred, and cf. Cognate, Natal, Native. ] 1. (Ethnol.) A part, or division, of the people of the earth, distinguished from the rest by common descent, language, or institutions; a race; a stock. [ 1913 Webster ]

All nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues. Rev. vii. 9. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The body of inhabitants of a country, united under an independent government of their own. [ 1913 Webster ]

A nation is the unity of a people. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

Praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation. F. S. Key. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Family; lineage. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (a) One of the divisions of university students in a classification according to nativity, formerly common in Europe. (b) (Scotch Universities) One of the four divisions (named from the parts of Scotland) in which students were classified according to their nativity. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A great number; a great deal; -- by way of emphasis; as, a nation of herbs. Sterne. [ 1913 Webster ]

Five nations. See under Five. --
Law of nations. See International law, under International, and Law. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- people; race. See People. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. national. ] 1. Of or pertaining to a nation; common to a whole people or race; public; general; as, a national government, language, dress, custom, calamity, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Attached to one's own country or nation. [ 1913 Webster ]

National anthem, a popular song or hymn which has become by general acceptance the recognized musical expression of the patriotic sentiment of a nation; as, “God save the King” is called the national anthem of England. --
National bank, the official common name of a class of banking corporations established under the laws of the United States. --
National flag. See under Flag. --
National guard, a body of militia, or a local military organization, as in Paris during the French Revolution, or as certain bodies of militia in other European countries and in the United States. --
National salute, a salute consisting of as many guns as there are States in the Union. [ U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A citizen (of a particular country); as, U. S. nationals are advised to contact their embassy when abroad. [ PJC ]

2. A country-wide sports competition; for a series of competitions, the plural form is usually used; as, to advance to the nationals. [ PJC ]

n. same as nationalization. [ Chiefly Brit. ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. The state of being national; national attachment; nationality. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An idiom, trait, or character peculiar to any nation. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. National independence; the principles of the Nationalists. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A devotion to one's country; patriotism; especially. an exaggerated or excessive form of patriotism; chauvinism. [ PJC ]

5. The policy of advocating the independence of one's country. [ PJC ]

6. The policy of advocating the interests of one's own country exclusively, regardless of effects of a country's actions on other countries. [ PJC ]

n. 1. One who advocates national unity and independence; -- as, for example, one of a party favoring Irish independence before 1918. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

2. One who advocates nationalism, in any sense. [ PJC ]

adj. 1. Fanatically patriotic; chauvinistic.
Syn. -- chauvinistic, flag-waving(prenominal), jingoistic, superpatriotic. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. Devotion to the interests or culture of a particular nation including promoting the interests of one country over those of others; as, minor nationalistic differences.
Syn. -- nationalist. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n.; pl. Nationalities [ Cf. F. nationalité. ] 1. The quality of being national, or strongly attached to one's own nation; patriotism. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The sum of the qualities which distinguish a nation; national character. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A race or people, as determined by common language and character, and not by political bias or divisions; a nation. [ 1913 Webster ]

The fulfillment of his mission is to be looked for in the condition of nationalities and the character of peoples. H. W. Beecher. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Existence as a distinct or individual nation; national unity and integrity. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The state or quality of belonging to or being connected with a nation or government by nativity, character, ownership, allegiance, etc.; as, to record one's nationality on identification papers; the Soviet Union had citizens of many nationalities. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

n. The act of nationalizing, or the state of being nationalized. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Nationalized p. pr. & vb. n. Nationalizing ] [ Cf. F. nationaliser. ] 1. To make national; to make a nation of; to endow with the character and habits of a nation, or the peculiar sentiments and attachment of citizens of a nation. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To change ownership of (a business, a property) from private ownership to state ownership or control; as, to nationalize the steel industry. [ PJC ]