Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - national

(nationals) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. National means relating to the whole of a country or nation rather than to part of it or to other nations. Ruling parties have lost ground in national and local elections. ...major national and international issues. ADJ: usu ADJ n • nationally ...a nationally televised speech... Duncan Campbell is nationally known for his investigative work. ADV: ADV with v, ADV adj 2. National means typical of the people or customs of a particular country or nation. ...the national characteristics and history of the country... Baseball is the national pastime. ADJ: ADJ n 3. You can refer to someone who is legally a citizen of a country as a national of that country. ...a Sri-Lankan-born British national. = citizen N-COUNT: usu adj N