native speaker
Definition of native speaker
: a person who learned to speak the language of the place where he or she was born as a child rather than learning it as a foreign language a native speaker of Swahili That kind of mistake is rarely made by native speakers.
Read the Latest from M-W
Word by Word Definitions
: inborn, innate
: belonging to a particular place by birth
: closely related
: one born or reared in a particular place
: an original or indigenous inhabitant
: something indigenous to a particular locality
: one that speaks
: one who uses a language
: one who makes a public speech
Learn More about native speaker
-
Britannica English: Translation of native speaker for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up native speaker? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!