[na.tion] n [ME nacioun, fr. MF nation, fr. L nation-, natio birth, race, nation, fr. nasci to be born; akin to L gignere to beget--more at kin] (14c) 1 a (1): nationality 5a (2): a politically organized nationality (3): a non-Jewish nationality "why do the ~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 usu. characterized by relatively large size and independent status
2. archaic: group, aggregation
3: a tribe or federation of tribes (as of American Indians)