Meaning & use

nationality

noun·Everyday

The legal status of belonging to a particular nation, usually by birth or naturalization.

See it in a sentence

All applicants must clearly list their nationality on the official visa application form.

She holds dual nationality, having been born in Canada to Italian parents.

A note on using this word

Nationality refers to legal or political membership in a country, while 'ethnicity' refers to shared cultural or ancestral identity; the two often differ.

Words with a similar meaning

citizenship

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

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