I. ˈnash-nəl, ˈna-shə-n ə l adjective
Date: 1580
1. : of or relating to a nation
2. : nationalist
3. : comprising or characteristic of a nationality
4. : belonging to or maintained by the federal government
5. : of, relating to, or being a coalition government formed by most or all major political parties usually in a crisis
• na·tion·al·ly adverb
II. noun
Date: 1887
1. : one that owes allegiance to or is under the protection of a nation without regard to the more formal status of citizen or subject
2. : a competition that is national in scope — usually used in plural
Synonyms: see citizen