A nation is a people sharing a history, culture or language, usually with its own state. A notion is an idea or belief. An independent nation; the notion of free will. One vowel apart, and the two are confused more often in typing than in thought.
The core difference
- nation — a large group of people with a shared identity; a country. The nation mourned, a nation of shopkeepers, the United Nations.
- notion — an idea, belief or impression, often vague. The notion that money buys happiness, I have no notion what he meant, a romantic notion.
The tell
Nation belongs with native, nationality, natal — birth, the people you are born among. Notion belongs with notice, note, know — something in the mind. A nation is people; a notion is a thought. Nationwide exists; notionwide does not.
In use
- nation — The whole nation stopped to watch the final. Iceland is a small nation with a long literature.
- notion — She dismissed the notion as absurd. I had a vague notion that we had met before.
Common slips
- I have no nation what you mean → I have no notion what you mean
- the United Notions → the United Nations
A nation is born; a notion is known.
Where the words come from
Nation is from Latin natio, "birth, a people", from nasci "to be born" — the same root as native and nature. Notion is from Latin notio, "a becoming acquainted, an idea", from noscere "to get to know" — the root of notice, notable and know.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a nation and a country?
A nation is a people with a shared identity; a country is a territory with a government. They usually coincide, but not always — the Kurds are a nation without a country.
What does "notions" mean in American shops?
Small sewing items — needles, buttons, thread. It is an old sense of notion as a small, clever article.
Is notion the same as idea?
Close — a notion is often vaguer or less firmly held than an idea, and "notion" can carry a hint of scepticism.