Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh₁tisder. Proto-Italic *gnātiō Latin nātiōbor. Old French nacionbor. Middle English nacioun English nation From Middle English nacioun, nacion, from Old French nacion, from Latin nātiōnem, accusative of nātiō (“nation”). Displaced Old English þēod.