n.
Pronunciation: ' n ā -sh ə n
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English nacioun, from Anglo-French naciun, from Latin nation-, natio birth, race, nation, from nasci to be born; akin to Latin gignere to beget ― more at KIN
Date: 14th century
1 a (1) : NATIONALITY 5A (2) : a politically organized nationality (3) : a non-Jewish nationality <why do the nation s conspire ― Ps 2:1 (RSV)> b : a community of people composed of one or more nationalities and possessing a more or less defined territory and government c : a territorial division containing a body of people of one or more nationalities and usually characterized by relatively large size and independent status
2 archaic : GROUP , AGGREGATION
3 : a tribe or federation of tribes (as of American Indians)