as in indigenous
belonging to a particular place by birth or origin
an illegally introduced Asian fish that has virtually wiped out the lake's autochthonous species
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Recent Examples of autochthonous
Giovanna Caruso is the fourth generation of Caruso& Minini, a winery appreciated for its wines made both with autochthonous grapes (such as Grillo, Zibibbo, Perricone, Frappato, Nero d’Avola) and international varieties (such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Merlot).
—
Elisabetta Tosi, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Far from being autochthonous, folk music is often influenced by the music of cities and courts, the seeds spread by travelers, merchants, migrants, itinerant players, refugees.
—Evan Eisenberg, WSJ, 24 May 2018
Alternatively, maybe the idea of coffee wasn't really autochthonous.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 22 Nov. 2013
Elisabetta Tosi, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Far from being autochthonous, folk music is often influenced by the music of cities and courts, the seeds spread by travelers, merchants, migrants, itinerant players, refugees.
—Evan Eisenberg, WSJ, 24 May 2018
Alternatively, maybe the idea of coffee wasn't really autochthonous.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 22 Nov. 2013
Recent Examples of Synonyms for autochthonous
Adjective
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Nearly 55,000 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed among Brazil’s indigenous peoples while 1,072 from 163 tribes have died, according to APIB.—
Adriana Brasileiro,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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Systems to better protect oceans, coastal marshes and mangroves will also be on the agenda, as well as an emphasis on the indigenous people who live on and manage much of the world’s natural places.—
Jeff Young,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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While some people express concerns, the AKC noted that many cultures throughout history have considered co-sleeping with animals as beneficial, such as aboriginal Australians who slept beside their dogs for warmth and protection.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
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Heyerdahl built this replica of the aboriginal balsa raft to test his theories that the ancient Peruvians reached Polynesia with this transport.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Autochthonous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/autochthonous. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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