national: Meaning and Definition of

na•tion•al

Pronunciation: (nash'u-nl, nash'nul), [key]
— adj.
  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.
—n.
  1. a citizen or subject of a particular nation who is entitled to its protection: U.S. nationals living abroad.
  2. Often,a national competition, tournament, or the like: We're invited to Minneapolis for the nationals.
  3. a national company or organization.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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