na |tion|al pa rk (national parks ) N‑COUNT [oft in names] A national park is a large area of land which is protected by the government because of its natural beauty, plants, or animals, and which the public can usually visit. □ …the Masai Mara game reserve and Amboseli national park.
na |tion|al se r|vice N‑UNCOUNT National service is service in the armed forces, which young people in certain countries have to do by law. [mainly BRIT ] □ [+ in ] Banks spent his national service in the Royal Navy. in AM, use selective service
na tion-building N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Journalists sometimes use nation-building to refer to government policies that are designed to create a strong sense of national identity. [JOURNALISM ] □ …calling for reconciliation and nation-building after the bitter election campaign. □ This revolutionary expansion required energetic nation-building policies.
na|tion|hood /ne I ʃ ə nhʊd/ N‑UNCOUNT A country's nationhood is its status as a nation. □ To them, the monarchy is the special symbol of nationhood.
na tion-sta te (nation-states ) also nation state N‑COUNT A nation-state is an independent state which consists of people from one particular national group. □ [+ of ] Albania is a small nation state of around 3 million people.
nation|wide /ne I ʃ ə nwa I d/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Nationwide activities or situations happen or exist in all parts of a country. □ The rising number of car crimes is a nationwide problem. □ …the strike by teachers which is nationwide. ● ADV Nationwide is also an adverb. □ The figures show unemployment falling nationwide last month.
na|tive ◆◇◇ /ne I t I v/ (natives )
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Your native country or area is the country or area where you were born and brought up. □ It was his first visit to his native country since 1948. □ Mother Teresa visited her native Albania.
2 N‑COUNT A native of a particular country or region is someone who was born in that country or region. □ [+ of ] Dr Aubin is a native of St Blaise. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Native is also an adjective. □ Joshua Halpern is a native Northern Californian. □ [+ to ] …men and women native to countries such as Japan.
3 N‑COUNT Some European people use native to refer to a person living in a non-Western country who belongs to the race or tribe that the majority of people there belong to. This use could cause offence. □ They used force to banish the natives from the more fertile land. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Native is also an adjective. □ Native people were allowed to retain some sense of their traditional culture and religion.
4 ADJ [ADJ n] Your native language or tongue is the first language that you learned to speak when you were a child. □ She spoke not only her native language, Swedish, but also English and French. □ French is not my native tongue.
5 ADJ [ADJ n] Plants or animals that are native to a particular region live or grow there naturally and were not brought there. □ …a project to create a 50 acre forest of native Caledonian pines. □ [+ to ] Many of the plants are native to Brazil. ● N‑COUNT Native is also a noun. □ [+ of ] The coconut palm is a native of Malaysia.
6 ADJ [ADJ n] A native ability or quality is one that you possess naturally without having to learn it. □ We have our native inborn talent, yet we hardly use it. SYNONYMS native ADJ 1
indigenous: …the country's indigenous population.
vernacular: The play was written in vernacular language.
originaclass="underline" The inhabitants have voted to restore the city's original name.
Na |tive Ame ri|can (Native Americans ) N‑COUNT Native Americans are people from any of the many groups who were already living in North America before Europeans arrived. □ The eagle is the animal most sacred to the Native Americans. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Native American is also an adjective. □ …a gathering of Native American elders.
na |tive spea k|er (native speakers ) N‑COUNT A native speaker of a language is someone who speaks that language as their first language rather than having learned it as a foreign language. □ Our programme ensures daily opportunities to practice your study language with native speakers.
Na|tiv|ity /nət I v I ti/ N‑SING The Nativity is the birth of Jesus, which is celebrated by Christians at Christmas. □ They admired the tableau of the Nativity. □ …the Nativity story.
na|ti v|ity play (nativity plays ) N‑COUNT A nativity play is a play about the birth of Jesus, usually one performed by children at Christmas time.
NATO ◆◇◇ /ne I toʊ/ N‑PROPER NATO is an international organization which consists of the USA, Canada, Britain, and other European countries, all of whom have agreed to support one another if they are attacked. NATO is an abbreviation for 'North Atlantic Treaty Organization'. □ NATO said enemy losses were 'significantly higher' than first thought.
nat|ter /næ tə r / (natters , nattering , nattered ) VERB When people natter , they talk casually for a long time about unimportant things. [mainly BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [V ] If something dramatic has happened during the day, we'll sit and natter about it. □ [V away/on ] Susan and the girl were still nattering away in German. □ [V + with ] Ahead of you is a day of nattering with fellow farmers at the local market. □ [V ] You natter all day long at the hospital. □ [V + to ] His mother would natter to anyone. ● N‑SING Natter is also a noun. □ What's the topic of conversation when a group of new mums get together for a natter?