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

Wild birds, including native and non-native species, are banned unless a permit is obtained. —Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2026

This non-native vine's aggressive tendencies are well-known, and the bright orange roots are easy to spot for removal. —Peg Aloi, The Spruce, 5 Apr. 2026

Native honeysuckles will have solid piths, whereas non-native, invasive honeysuckles will have hollow piths. —Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 5 Apr. 2026

For eight years, Ruth has cared for and rehabilitated non-native exotic animals like bearded dragons, guinea pigs, sugar gliders and leopard geckos in hopes of one day finding them a forever home. —Julian Camejo, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 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
• agglutinative
• ameliorative
• appreciative