natal

na·tal | \ ˈnā-tᵊl

How to pronounce natal (audio)

\

Definition of natal

(Entry 1 of 2)

2 : of, relating to, or present at birth especially : associated with one's birth a natal star

Natal

geographical name

Na·tal | \ nə-ˈtal

How to pronounce Natal (audio)

, -ˈtäl \

Definition of Natal (Entry 2 of 2)

1 city and port on the Atlantic in northeastern Brazil population 803,739

Note: Natal serves as capital of the state of Rio Grande do Norte.

2 former province of the eastern part of the Republic of South Africa between the Drakensberg Mountains and the Indian Ocean

Note: Natal is now part of the province of KwaZulu-Natal.

Examples of natal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective But the number of salmon making the arduous journey to the Pacific Ocean and back to their natal streams has declined steeply in recent decades. — Washington Post, "Pacific Northwest tribes: Remove Columbia River dams," 15 Oct. 2019 But the number of salmon making the arduous journey to the Pacific Ocean and back to their natal streams has declined steeply in recent decades. — Washington Post, "Pacific Northwest tribes: Remove Columbia River dams," 15 Oct. 2019 They are then broken from their natal wafers like squares of chocolate from a bar, and packaged individually in plastic and metal. — The Economist, "Computing records The first computer chip with a trillion transistors," 5 Dec. 2019 But the number of salmon making the arduous journey to the Pacific Ocean and back to their natal streams has declined steeply in recent decades. — Washington Post, "Pacific Northwest tribes: Remove Columbia River dams," 15 Oct. 2019 After his birth, Adler stayed in the neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU) at Children's Hospital Los Angeles for three weeks and was eventually released—only to be found to have fluid in his lungs again in September. — Maggie O'neill, Health.com, "‘Boy Meets World’ Star Danielle Fishel Speaks Out About Her Son’s Rare Condition, Chylothorax," 15 Oct. 2019 But the number of salmon making the arduous journey to the Pacific Ocean and back to their natal streams has declined steeply in recent decades. — Gillian Flaccus, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Pacific Northwest tribes: Remove Columbia River dams," 14 Oct. 2019 In one, an algorithm is invented to permanently delete specific Wikipedia entries; in another, a medical procedure allows expectant mothers to redirect natal pain to their partners. — Charles Arrowsmith, Washington Post, "Chuck Klosterman tries to make sense of our absurd reality in ‘Raised in Captivity’," 16 July 2019 In one, an algorithm is invented to permanently delete specific Wikipedia entries; in another, a medical procedure allows expectant mothers to redirect natal pain to their partners. — Dallas News, "Chuck Klosterman tries to make sense of our absurd reality in 'Raised in Captivity'," 16 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'natal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

7 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Natal.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/natal. Accessed 21 January 2020.

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