variants
also indigen
as in native
a member of the first people to inhabit a region
the indigenes had not merely adapted to the harsh climate, but had in fact prospered in it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of indigene
Many of the indigenes believe that their perpetual sadness is the root cause of disease and death among them.
—
Scientific American, 25 Mar. 2020
No doubt the Tainos, the indigenes at the time of European encounter, have plenty to smoke about, if there are any left alive.
—Peter Lewis, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 July 2017
Flexible intuitions of Euclidean geometry in an Amazonian indigene group.
—Valerie Ross, Discover Magazine, 24 May 2011
Scientific American, 25 Mar. 2020
No doubt the Tainos, the indigenes at the time of European encounter, have plenty to smoke about, if there are any left alive.
—Peter Lewis, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 July 2017
Flexible intuitions of Euclidean geometry in an Amazonian indigene group.
—Valerie Ross, Discover Magazine, 24 May 2011
Recent Examples of Synonyms for indigene
Noun
-
Liberty native and Mizzou senior Kayley Lenger claimed a front row spot in one of the student section seating areas, which sits behind the visiting team’s bench.—
Joseph Hernandez,
Kansas City Star,
7 Sep. 2025
-
These would be plants that are classified as natives.—
Chris McKeown,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The Guanches were aborigines of the Canary Islands.—
JP Mangalindan,
Peoplemag,
21 Feb. 2024
-
The bill’s sponsors insisted their motives were not racist, although, one of the sponsors, state Sen. Scott Beason, later recorded himself referring to black people as aborigines while wearing a wire for the FBI.—
Kyle Whitmire,
al,
22 Nov. 2019
Noun
-
Those clauses were removed in the 1960s, leaving no mention of aboriginals at all.—
The Economist,
The Economist,
5 July 2018
-
These people are too far away to show a direct link between them and the Clovis in such a way that indicates the Clovis being the aboriginals of South America.—
Adam Rutherford,
The Atlantic,
3 Oct. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Indigene.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indigene. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share