native

adjective

na·tive | \ ˈnā-tiv

Definition of native

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : inborn, innate native talents

2 : belonging to a particular place by birth a native New Yorker

3 archaic : closely related

4 : belonging to or associated with one by birth hailed in his native Sweden as an influential dramatist —William Peden

5 : natural, normal a generosity that was native to him

6a : grown, produced, or originating in a particular place or in the vicinity : local native fruits and vegetables

b : living or growing naturally in a particular region : indigenous native wildlife of Australia

7 : simple, unaffected our feeling still native and entire, unsophisticated by pedantry —Edmund Burke

8a : constituting the original substance or source the way I must return to native dust —John Milton

b : found in nature especially in an unadulterated form mining native silver

9 chiefly Australia : having a usually superficial (see superficial sense 2) resemblance to a specified English plant or animal

10 capitalized : of, relating to, or being a member of an indigenous people of North or South America : native american

native

noun

Definition of native (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : one born or reared in a particular place

2a : an original or indigenous inhabitant

b : something indigenous to a particular locality

3 : a local resident especially : a person who has always lived in a place as distinguished from a visitor or a temporary resident

Other Words from native Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about native

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Choose the Right Synonym for native

Adjective

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 in Africa aboriginal implies having no known others preceding in occupancy of a particular region. the aboriginal peoples of Australia

Examples of native in a Sentence

Adjective

people who are native to France She has a native ability to learn quickly. The island is home to several native species of trees.

Noun

She's a native of France who moved to the United States when she was 15. He wishes he could speak Spanish like a native. The plant is a native of Central and South America.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Several weeks later, state officials seized the turtle and euthanized it as a non-native species. — CBS News, "Idaho teacher Robert Crosland pleads not guilty to allegedly feeding puppy to turtle in front of class," 10 July 2018 The bar and restaurant is the brainchild of New Orleans-native Jupiter and owner Mark Domitrovich, and will be tapping into the former’s roots with NOLA-style dishes and revived vintage cocktails. — Grace Wong, chicagotribune.com, "Just Opened: Ina Mae brings a taste of New Orleans to Wicker Park," 20 June 2018 The Peoria Public Schools board voted Monday to rename Woodrow Wilson Primary School after Peoria-native Dr. Maude Sanders. — Fox News, "Illinois elementary school to drop Woodrow Wilson from name," 12 June 2018 Boston-native Elliot Richardson was serving as President Richard Nixon’s attorney general in 1973. — Tom Emswiler And Will Isenberg, BostonGlobe.com, "Vote for Jeff Sessions? Why the public should elect the US attorney general," 10 June 2018 Unfortunately, the Montevideo-native was never able to establish himself as anything more than a fringe player and cult hero at Old Trafford. — SI.com, "World Cup Countdown: 6 Days to Go - Reliving the Fine Career of 2010 Golden Ball Winner Diego Forlan," 8 June 2018 Dorsey’s case for an internet-native currency rests on the inconvenience of the currently fragmented state of online payments. — David Meyer, Fortune, "Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak Wants 'Pure' Bitcoin to Become the Global Internet Currency," 5 June 2018 The Tigers turned to Hoover-native Caleb Gilbert on Sunday, and the run of clutch performances understandably couldn't last six games. — Brody Miller, NOLA.com, "LSU's SEC Tournament run ends in championship loss to Ole Miss," 27 May 2018 While New York is traditionally a mecca of sorts for basketball, the city has not produced much NBA talent in recent years; Walker is arguably the most accomplished New York native currently playing in the league. — Rick Bonnell, charlotteobserver, "Why All-Star Kemba Walker’s New York ties should worry Charlotte Hornets," 13 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The Chicago native already has a pair of records in the top 60 of the Billboard Hot 100 and a lucrative deal with Interscope Records to his name. — Michael Saponara, Billboard, "Juice WRLD Hints at Releasing More Projects in 2018," 11 July 2018 Indiana native Anne Hazlett,who helped create Indiana's Office of Community and Rural Affairs, is assistant to the secretary of agriculture for rural development. — Maureen Groppe, Indianapolis Star, "Indiana agribusinessman Kip Tom tapped by Trump for food ambassador job," 11 July 2018 An Arizona native, Baffert put himself in the conversation for greatest horse trainer ever after leading two horses to the Triple Crown in a four-year span. — Justin Sayers, The Courier-Journal, "Bob Baffert, Bob Beatty inducted to Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame," 27 June 2018 Most golf prodigies hail from warmer climates than Shepherd, a 17-year-old native of Greenwood, Ind. — Clifton Brown, Indianapolis Star, "Center Grove's Erica Shepherd looking for repeat junior title, LPGA future," 14 July 2018 Free agent forward Jonas Jerebko, a native of Sweden who has played nine NBA seasons with Utah, Boston and Detroit, signed with the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors . . — BostonGlobe.com, "US Olympic Committee tabs Sarah Hirshland as its CEO," 13 July 2018 Anderson, 32 years old and a native of South Africa, has reached one Grand Slam final, at last year’s U.S. Open. — Tom Perrotta, WSJ, "Kevin Anderson Outlasts John Isner in a Five-Set Marathon at Wimbledon," 13 July 2018 The Chicago native started to assemble his dream team of about 30 designers, consultants and collaborators, featuring a range of expertise, to assist in perfecting Pastelle. — Michael Saponara, Billboard, "Kanye West's Scrapped Pastelle Line Was 'His University for Fashion'," 10 July 2018 Surely his Secretary of Labor, R. Alexander Acosta — a native of Miami, the son of Cuban refugees and former dean of the FIU College of Law — can fill Trump in on the virtues and viability of hiring local. — Fabiola Santiago, miamiherald, "'America First?' Not when it comes to hiring foreign workers for Trump's Mar-a-Lago," 10 July 2018

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