indigenous

adjective

in·​dig·​e·​nous in-ˈdi-jə-nəs 

1

a

: produced, growing, living, or occurring natively or naturally in a particular region or environment

indigenous plants

The forested 1-acre lot has a pool surrounded by indigenous grasses, lawns, and specimen trees …

—The Week

b

usually Indigenous : of, relating to, or descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a place and especially of a place that was colonized

The Day of the Dead has roots in Indigenous Aztec culture.

—Nicole Ferraro and Katarina Avendaño

In pockets all over the world, Indigenous communities are teaching scientists to care for the ocean using knowledge passed down over generations.

—Julia Jacobo

2

: innate, inborn

a type of behavior that is indigenous to human beings

indigenously adverb

indigenousness noun

Did you know?

Indigenous derives from the Latin noun indigena (meaning "native"), which was formed by combining Old Latin indu (meaning "in" or "within") with the verb gignere (meaning "to beget"). Another term that comes from the indigena root is indigene, a word for a plant or animal that lives, grows, or originates in a certain area. Indigene is the older of the two; it has been used in English since the late 16th century, whereas the earliest documented use of indigenous occurred nearly 50 years later. Indigenous is used in scientific contexts to describe organisms and the habitats to which they belong, and in expressly non-scientific contexts, as in "emotions indigenous to the human spirit." Most often, however, it's used to describe the native inhabitants of a place.

Synonyms of indigenous

• aboriginal
• native

Choose the Right Synonym for indigenous

native, indigenous, endemic, aboriginal mean belonging to a locality.

native implies birth or origin in a place or region and may suggest compatibility with it.

native tribal customs

indigenous applies to that which is not only native but which, as far as can be determined, has never been introduced or brought from elsewhere.

indigenous plants

endemic implies being peculiar to a region.

a disease endemic to many countries

aboriginal implies having no known others preceding in occupancy of a particular region.

the aboriginal peoples of Australia

Examples of indigenous in a Sentence

Viking invaders quickly subdued the indigenous population, known as the Picts. —Jared M. Diamond, Collapse, 2005

Unlike France, Italy relies on dozens of indigenous regional grape varieties for its prodigious range of wines. —Gerald Asher, Gourmet, September 2002

Though Gilded Age architecture was not indigenous to America, at least it was borrowed from belle epoque Europe, from which much of America's late-nineteenth-century culture evolved. —Robert D. Kaplan, An Empire Wilderness, 1988

There are several indigenous groups that still live in the area.

the culture of the indigenous people of that country

Recent Examples on the Web

The casserole takes its name from a town outside Charleston, South Carolina, which was originally inhabited by the indigenous Sewee people. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2025

As part of the holiday, which is rooted in indigenous culture, families will create a trail of marigold petals from their front doors to their altars to help guide spirits home. —Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025

This is where Trentodoc, a crisp, bright sparkling wine made with grapes indigenous to the mountains, has been produced for more than a century. —Chadner Navarro, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025

Atlas expedition staff members — all experts who know the region intimately — can provide insight into the ecosystems, plants, wildlife, and indigenous communities (such as the Inuit villages guests can visit) that help the Arctic thrive while maintaining the landscape. —Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin indigenus, from Latin indigena, noun, native, from Old Latin indu, endo in, within + Latin gignere to beget — more at end-, kin

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing indigenous

• non-indigenous

Rhymes for indigenous

• polygynous
• nonindigenous

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Kids Definition

indigenous

adjective

in·​dig·​e·​nous in-ˈdij-ə-nəs 

1

: produced, growing, or living naturally in a particular region or environment

indigenous plants

2

often capitalized : of or relating to the earliest known inhabitants of a place and especially of a place that was colonized

Indigenous people

indigenously adverb

Medical Definition

indigenous

adjective

in·​dig·​e·​nous in-ˈdij-ə-nəs 

1

: having originated in and being produced, growing, or living naturally in a particular region or environment

a disease indigenous to the tropics

colonization by small numbers of indigenous enteric bacteria

—C. M. Kunin et al.

2

: being inborn or innate

a type of behavior that is indigenous to human beings

indigenously adverb