Synonyms of endemic

endemic

adjective

en-ˈde-mik 

as in indigenous

belonging to a particular place by birth or origin

the fish is not an endemic species of the lake, and it is rapidly devouring the native trout population

Synonyms & Similar Words

• indigenous
• aboriginal
• native
• autochthonous
• local
• domestic
• born
• regional
• original

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• introduced
• foreign
• exotic
• nonindigenous
• nonnative
• strange
• alien
• immigrant
• transplanted
• imported
• expatriate

Synonym Chooser

How is the word endemic distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of endemic are aboriginal, indigenous, and native. While all these words mean "belonging to a locality," endemic implies being peculiar to a region.

a disease endemic in Africa

When might aboriginal be a better fit than endemic?

The words aboriginal and endemic are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, aboriginal implies having no known others preceding in occupancy of a particular region.

the aboriginal peoples of Australia

When would indigenous be a good substitute for endemic?

While in some cases nearly identical to endemic, 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

When is it sensible to use native instead of endemic?

In some situations, the words native and endemic are roughly equivalent. However, native implies birth or origin in a place or region and may suggest compatibility with it.

native tribal customs

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of endemic

Silver and Gold) is a rare native endemic to Guadalupe Island, 150 miles west of Baja California. —Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 20 Sep. 2025

Rokt began working with Cinemark in 2022 to enhance the customer experience by presenting highly relevant, non-endemic offers on the confirmation page of its ecommerce booking experience. —Sharon Edelson, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025

This, our only endemic, is threatened by loss of its scrub habitat. —Christina Mayo, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2025

In countries like Ecuador and Peru where Chagas is endemic but there is no concerted government efforts to manage it, most people were unaware of the disease, Grijalva said. —Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025

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