Etymology

national

N1A1T1I1O1N1A1L1

Today it means: Pertaining to a nation or country, especially as a whole; affecting, shared by, or existing throughout all of a nation; the state. Full definition →

First used 16th c.Middle French national
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The story

  1. Middle French · derived fromnational
  2. English todaynational

From Middle French national, corresponding to nation + -al.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 16th c. Pertaining to a nation or country, especially as a whole; affecting, shared by, or existing throughout all of a nation; the state.
  • from 17th c. Belonging to or characteristic of a specific nation or country, as opposed to others.
  • from 17th c. Nationalistic; patriotic.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.