a part, or division, of the people of the earth, distinguished from the rest by common descent, language, or institutions; a race; a stock.-the body of inhabitants of a country, united under an independent government of their own.-family; lineage.-one of the divisions of university students in a classification according to nativity, formerly common in europe.-one of the four divisions (named from the parts of scotland) in which students were classified according to their nativity.-a great number; a great deal; -- by way of emphasis; as, a nation of herbs.