non-native

adjective

non-na·​tive ˌnän-ˈnā-tiv 

variants or nonnative

: not native: such as

a

of a plant or animal : living or growing in a place that is not the location of its natural occurrence

a non-native fish species

… overgrazing causes grasslands to give way to sagebrush, mesquite and non-native exotic grasses, environmentalists contend.

—Doug McInnis

b

: not born or raised in the place where a particular language is spoken

non-native inhabitants

a nonnative speaker of English [=a person who speaks English but whose native language is not English]

non-native noun

or nonnative

plural non-natives or nonnatives

popular among both natives and non-natives

Synonyms of non-native

• foreign

Examples of non-native in a Sentence

nonnative customs that made the recent immigrants stand out in their new country

Recent Examples on the Web

Ertter noted that post-fire, surviving Boise goldenweed will face another challenge in the form of non-native plants that often thrive and outcompete native flora on burn scars. — Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 15 July 2026

Stranger still is the fact these non-native fish have developed a mysterious ability to vanish for months at a time in Lake Gaston – much to the disappointment of anglers. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2026

Invasive plants, classified as non-native species causing harm to ecosystems, threaten biodiversity, and degrade soil. — Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 July 2026

No side, men or women, has won a FIFA World Cup with a non-native coach but for England, appointing Tuchel did not feel like a gamble. — George Edwards, New York Times, 11 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for non-native

• creative
• locative
• nonnative
• probative
• rotative
• accommodative
• accumulative
• adjudicative
• administrative
• affiliative
• agglutinative
• ameliorative