nationality

The story

1. Latin · derived fromnātio“nation, people”
2. French · derived fromnationalité
3. English todaynationality

From national + -ity, perhaps after French nationalité; ultimately from Latin nātio (“nation, people”).

First known use, by meaning

• from 18th c. Legal membership of a particular nation or state, by origin, birth, naturalization, ownership, allegiance or otherwise.
• from 19th c. A people sharing a common origin, culture and/or language, and possibly constituting a nation-state.
• from 17th c. National, i.e. ethnic and/or cultural, character or identity.
• from 18th c. Nationalism or patriotism.
• 19th c. Political existence, independence or unity as a national entity.