nation
/ˈneɪ.ʃən/ · na·tion
noun
- A historically constituted, stable community of people, formed on the basis of a common language, territory, economic life, ethnicity and/or psychological make‑up manifested in a common culture. The Kurdish people constitute a nation in the Middle East.
- A sovereign state. France is a nation with a long history of centralized government.
- An association of students based on its members' birthplace or ethnicity, especially at certain universities. At Uppsala University, the Finnish nation organizes cultural events for its members.
Did you know? The word ‘nation’ originally meant ‘birth’ in Latin and was first used in medieval European universities to label student groups based on regional origin.