Nationality Meaning
/ˌnæʃ.əˈnæl.ɪ.ti/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounLegal membership of a particular nation or state, by origin, birth, naturalization, ownership, allegiance or otherwise.
nounA people sharing a common origin, culture and/or language, and possibly constituting a nation-state.
Sentence Examples
I have French nationality but Vietnamese origins.
Our true nationality is mankind.
That company hires people without regard to race, religion, or nationality.
CEFR Practice Quiz
On the travel document, he had to state his ____, and he wrote 'Japanese'.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
When you are filling out the travel form, you must state your full name, date of birth, and your current ____ to avoid any several delays.
Word Origin & History
From national + -ity, perhaps after French nationalité; ultimately from Latin nātio (“nation, people”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"One reason why many Asian countries oppose dual nationality is a belief that it can create divided loyalties among citizens, said Jelena Dzankic, co-director of the Global Citizenship Observatory (GLOBALCIT), an international citizenship research network."
— 2021 March 15, Jessie Yeung, “These Asian countries are giving dual citizens an ultimatum on nationality – and loyalty”, in CNN:
"Guatemala has pledged a 40% increase in deportation flights carrying Guatemalans and migrants of other nationalities from the United States, President Bernardo Arévalo announced Wednesday during a press conference with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio."
— 2025 February 5, Michael Rios, “Guatemala to increase deportation flights from US carrying migrants from other countries”, in CNN:
"[…]permit me to say that the Harranians were Arabs and that the Arabs in occupying Spain and Andalusia did not lose their nationality; they remained Arabs. […] The fact that they preserved their former religion, Sabaeanism, does not mean they should be considered foreign to the Arab nationality."
— 1968, Sayyid Jamāl ad-Dīn, “Answer of Jamāl ad-Dīn to Renan”, in Nikki R. Keddie, translated by Nikki R. Keddie, An Islamic Response to Imperialism, University of California Press, →LCCN, page 185:
"‘You are, to be sure, wonderfully free from that nationality: but so it happens, that you employ the only Scotch shoe-black in London.’"
— 1791, James Boswell, Life of Johnson, Oxford, published 2008, page 599:
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CEFR Practice Quiz
On the travel document, he had to state his ____, and he wrote 'Japanese'.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
When you are filling out the travel form, you must state your full name, date of birth, and your current ____ to avoid any several delays.