Extranational

/ˌɛkstrəˈnæʃənəl/ adjective

Definition

Existing or operating outside national boundaries or jurisdiction; transcending the authority of any single nation-state.

Etymology

From Latin 'extra' (outside) + 'national' (from Latin 'natio' birth/nation). International law developed this term to describe treaties, organizations, and bodies that supersede national authority.

Kelly Says

The United Nations is extranational by design—it's supposed to exist in the cracks between countries. But that's also its weakness: no nation really wants to answer to something that doesn't belong to them, which is why the U.N. struggles to enforce anything.

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