nation

Reading level: medium

Estimated CEFR level: A2 — Elementary

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a politically organized body of people under a single government
  2. noun the people who live in a nation or country
  3. noun United States prohibitionist who raided saloons and destroyed bottles of liquor with a hatchet (1846-1911)

Etymology

From Middle English nacioun, nacion, from Old French nacion, from Latin nātiōnem, accusative of nātiō (“nation”). Displaced native Old English þēod.

In classic literature

Synonyms

state, country, land, commonwealth, res publica, body politic

A single word — an entire dictionary opens.

Type a word, a sentence, a book title, or a link to an English article. WordNet and the Classics answer.

Try

A library of classics · a vault of words · instant etymology & meaning

Continue reading