noun
nationality
nash-uh-NAL-ih-tee
noun
1
The legal status of belonging to a particular nation, usually shown on a passport.
"She holds dual nationality, British and Canadian."
"What nationality are you — are you from here originally?"
2
A group of people who share a common origin, culture, or ethnic identity.
"The region is home to several distinct nationalities living side by side."
How to Use Nationality
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWhich country you're legally a citizen of, or the ethnic/cultural group you belong to.
Common mistake
Nationality (legal citizenship) isn't always the same as ethnicity or where you were born — someone can hold British nationality without being ethnically British.
Common pairings
dual nationality
of Irish nationality
nationality and citizenship
Word Forms
nationalities plural
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She holds dual _____, British and Canadian.
Etymology
From "national" plus "-ity," a suffix that turns an adjective into an abstract noun — likely influenced by the French nationalité.