national

English

Etymology

From Middle French national, corresponding to nation +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈnaʃn̩(ə)l/, /ˈnaʃn(ə)l/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈnæʃən(ə)l/, /ˈnæʃn(ə)l/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æʃənəl

Adjective

national (comparative more national, superlative most national)

1. Pertaining to a nation or country, especially as a whole; affecting, shared by, or existing throughout all of a nation.

   a national assembly · on the front page of every national newspaper

   Import tariffs were raised for the national interest.

2. Belonging to or characteristic of a specific nation or country, as opposed to others.

   this is their national dish · our national tendency to laugh at the French

3. (now rare) Nationalistic; patriotic.
   • 1791, James Boswell, Life of Johnson, Oxford, published 2008, page 599:

     ‘Come, come, don't deny it: they are really national. Why, now, the Adams are as liberal-minded men as any in the world: but, I don't know how it is, all their workmen are Scotch.’

Usage notes

See nation for notes regarding the usage of national to refer to the UK and its member states.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

national (plural nationals)

1. A subject of a nation.

   The diplomats were advised not to interact with any foreign nationals except on official duty.

2. (usually in the plural) A tournament in which participants from all over the nation compete.

   After winning the regional tournament, the team advanced to the nationals.

3. (usually in the plural, journalism) A national newspaper.
   • 1978, “Blondes (Have More Fun)”, performed by Rod Stewart:

     I had a crush on Bardot / Fell in love with Monroe / Read about 'em in the nationals / All the juicy little scandals

Translations

Further reading

• “national”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “national”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• nataloin, notalian

Danish

Etymology

From New Latin nationalis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): , occasionally (to stress the opposition to international) IPA^(key):

Adjective

national

1. national, having to do with a particular country in opposition to other nations

   Antonym: international

2. national, having to do with the whole and not only single parts of it

   Antonym: regional

3. patriotic, having positive feelings for one's own nation

Inflection

Derived terms

• international

References

• “national” in Den Danske Ordbog

French

Etymology

From nation +‎ -al; cf. New Latin nationalis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /na.sjɔ.nal/

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

national (feminine nationale, masculine plural nationaux, feminine plural nationales)

1. national

Derived terms

Further reading

• “national”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.

German

Etymology

Derived from Nation (“nation”) under the influence of French national.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌnatsi̯oˈnaːl/, , /ˈnatsi̯oˌnaːl/,

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aːl

Adjective

national (strong nominative masculine singular nationaler, comparative nationaler, superlative am nationalsten)

1. national (being part of a nation's identity or character)

   eine nationale Tradition ― a national tradition

   die nationale Sprache (≈ die Nationalsprache) ― the national language

   nationale Eigenarten ― national characteristics

2. national (of importance for the nation as a whole)

   nationale Belange ― national interests

   eine nationale Katastrophe ― a national catastrophe

   der nationale Dialog ― the national dialogue

3. nationwide, national (covering a country, as opposed to regional and international levels; see usage note below)

   nationale Parlamente (≈ Nationalparlamente) ― national parliaments

   auf nationaler Ebene ― on the national level

   die nationale Gesetzgebung ― national legislation

4. (moderately) nationalist

   das nationale Lager ― the nationalist camp

   Sozialismus nationaler Prägung ― socialism with a nationalist imprint

Usage notes

• The comparative forms are infrequent.
• German national in the sense of “nationwide” occurs chiefly in a political context, as shown in the examples above. Its use in other contexts is often modeled on English usage: ein nationaler Gesangswettbewerb (“a national singing competition”). The more idiomatic German word is landesweit or, in the cases of Germany and Austria specifically, bundesweit: ein landesweiter/bundesweiter Gesangswettbewerb.

Declension

Derived terms

Further reading

• “national” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “national” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “national” in Duden online