national

[nash-uh-nl, nash-nuh l] /ˈnæʃ ə nl, ˈnæʃ nəl/
adjective
1.
of, pertaining to, or maintained by a nation as an organized whole or independent political unit:
national affairs.
2.
owned, preserved, or maintained by the federal government:
a national wildlife refuge.
3.
peculiar or common to the whole people of a country:
national customs.
4.
devoted to one's own nation, its interests, etc.; patriotic:
to stir up national pride.
5.
nationalist.
6.
concerning or encompassing an entire nation:
a national radio network.
7.
limited to one nation.
noun
8.
a citizen or subject of a particular nation who is entitled to its protection:
U.S. nationals living abroad.
9.
Often, nationals. a national competition, tournament, or the like:
We're invited to Minneapolis for the nationals.
10.
a national company or organization.
Origin
1590-1600; nation + -al1
Related forms
nationally, adverb
antinational, adjective
antinationally, adverb
nonnational, adjective, noun
nonnationally, adverb
prenational, adjective
pronational, adjective
pseudonational, adjective
pseudonationally, adverb
quasi-national, adjective
quasi-nationally, adverb
subnational, adjective
unnational, adjective
unnationally, adverb
Can be confused
federal, national.
Examples from the web for national
  • They're extraordinarily valuable to the country as national security and economic matters.
  • In stores throughout the country, with complete national distribution by the end of the year.
  • But as the risk of a return to recession fades, big national swings look less likely.
  • The air in many national wilderness wonderlands is getting worse.
  • Zoom in on a spectacular national park photo to reveal hundreds more photos making up the original.
  • Boosting people's sense of self-worth has become a national preoccupation.
  • Most countries with national firms used their oil wealth to develop the authority of the state, rather than the other way around.
  • Feeling your mind go utterly, horribly blank on national television is a deeply unpleasant experience.
  • Possibly, these carp will change large parts of our national watersheds forever.
  • McAllen, with its high poverty rate, has an incidence of heavy drinking sixty per cent higher than the national average.
British Dictionary definitions for national

national

/ˈnæʃənəl/
adjective
1.
of, involving, or relating to a nation as a whole
2.
of, relating to, or characteristic of a particular nation: the national dress of Poland
3.
(rare) nationalistic or patriotic
noun
4.
a citizen or subject
5.
a national newspaper
Derived Forms
nationally, adverb

National

/ˈnæʃənəl/
noun
1.
the National, short for the Grand National
Word Origin and History for national
adj.

1590s, from Middle French national (from Old French nation), and also from nation + -al (1). As a noun, "citizen of a (particular) nation," from 1887. National anthem first recorded 1819, in Shelley. Related: Nationally.