national

Pluralnationals

1. 1
   countrywideadjective

   Relating to a nation or country as a whole; affecting or shared throughout the entire country.

   The national census counts every resident from coast to coast.

   A sudden fuel shortage triggered a national emergency overnight.

   Similarnationwide, countrywide

   Oppositelocal, regional

   Note

   Its usual company is institutional: a national assembly, the national interest, a national newspaper. Each names something that belongs to the country as one body. That last phrase gave rise to the press noun, where the word newspaper drops away and only the nationals is left.

2. 2
   country's ownadjective

   Belonging to or typical of one particular country, distinguishing it from other nations.

   The dancers wore national costumes representing each competing country.

   Bagpipes are a national symbol closely tied to Scotland.

   UsageOften after a possessive: Japan's national dish, their national costume.

   Note

   Here the word marks difference rather than reach. A national dish or a national tendency is what sets one people apart from the rest, and it often comes with a possessive: their national dish, our national tendency to laugh at the French. Compare the country-wide sense, where a national census simply covers everyone and implies no contrast with other nations.

3. 3
   state-runadjective

   Under the ownership, management or funding of a country's central government rather than of a regional, municipal or private body.

   Unlike the city-run clinics, the national hospitals are funded directly from the federal budget.

   The country's national airline was sold to private investors after years of losses.

   Similarstate, public, state-owned

   Oppositeprivate, regional, local

4. 4
   citizennouncountable

   A person legally recognized as belonging to a particular country, usually a citizen, especially one living or working abroad.

   As a Canadian national, she was allowed to vote in the election.

   The embassy helps nationals who lose their passports overseas.

   UsageUsually with a nationality word or foreign before it: a French national, foreign nationals.

5. 5
   nouncountableusually plural

   A tournament in which competitors from every part of the country take part.

   Her debate team qualified for nationals for the third year in a row.

   Athletes from every state gathered for the nationals in June.

   UsageOften with for or at: qualify for nationals, win gold at the nationals.

   Note

   A competition word that normally lives in the plural. Teams advance to the nationals after winning a regional tournament, or simply qualify for nationals. The plural names a single event, much as finals does. The newspaper noun has the same plural shape, so context tells them apart: qualifying and winning point to the tournament, while reading and scandals point to the press.

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