Nation (from
Latin: natio, "people, tribe, kin, genus, class, flock") is a social concept with no uncontroversial definition, but that is most commonly used to designate larger groups or collectives of people with common characteristics attributed to them—including
language,
traditions,
customs (mores),
habits (habitus), and
ethnicity. A nation, by comparison, is more impersonal, abstract, and overtly political than an
ethnic group. It is a cultural-political community that has become conscious of its autonomy, unity, and particular interests.