— nationhood , n. — nationless , adj.
/nay"sheuhn/ , n.
1. a large body of people, associated with a particular territory, that is sufficiently conscious of its unity to seek or to possess a government peculiarly its own: The president spoke to the nation about the new tax.
2. the territory or country itself: the nations of Central America.
3. a member tribe of an American Indian confederation.
4. an aggregation of persons of the same ethnic family, often speaking the same language or cognate languages.
[ 1250-1300; ME nation- (s. of natio ) birth, tribe, equiv. to nat ( us ) (ptp. of nasci to be born) + -ion- -ION ]
Syn. 1. See race 2 . 2. state, commonwealth, kingdom, realm.