native

1 of 2

adjective

na·​tive ˈnā-tiv 

1

: inborn, innate

native talents

2

: belonging to a particular place by birth

a native New Yorker

3

archaic : closely related

4

: belonging to or associated with one by birth

hailed in his native Sweden as an influential dramatist

—William Peden

5

: natural, normal

a generosity that was native to him

6

a

: grown, produced, or originating in a particular place or in the vicinity : local

native fruits and vegetables

b

: living or growing naturally in a particular region : indigenous

native wildlife of Australia

7

: simple, unaffected

our feeling still native and entire, unsophisticated by pedantry

—Edmund Burke

8

a

: constituting the original substance or source

the way I must return to native dust

—John Milton

b

: found in nature especially in an unadulterated form

mining native silver

9

chiefly Australia : having a usually superficial (see superficial sense 2) resemblance to a specified English plant or animal

10

capitalized : of, relating to, or being a member of an indigenous people of North or South America : native american

natively adverb

nativeness noun

native

2 of 2

noun

1

: one born or reared in a particular place

2

a

: an original or indigenous inhabitant

b

: something indigenous to a particular locality

3

: a local resident

especially : a person who has always lived in a place as distinguished from a visitor or a temporary resident

Synonyms

Adjective

• aboriginal
• autochthonous
• born
• domestic
• endemic
• indigenous

Noun

• local
• localite
• townie
• towny
• year-rounder

Choose the Right Synonym for native

native, indigenous, endemic, aboriginal mean belonging to a locality.

native implies birth or origin in a place or region and may suggest compatibility with it.

native tribal customs

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

endemic implies being peculiar to a region.

a disease endemic in Africa

aboriginal implies having no known others preceding in occupancy of a particular region.

the aboriginal peoples of Australia

Examples of native in a Sentence

Adjective

people who are native to France

She has a native ability to learn quickly.

The island is home to several native species of trees.

Noun

She's a native of France who moved to the United States when she was 15.

He wishes he could speak Spanish like a native.

The plant is a native of Central and South America.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

All students and employees are required to take tribal language and history courses, and each building is marked with only its native name. —Matt Krupnick, The Arizona Republic, 14 Apr. 2024

Stewart McGraw remembers visiting her mother’s native Switzerland during summer breaks while growing up, and shopping was always on the itinerary. —Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Apr. 2024

Experts from the Theodore Payne Foundation will fill our tent with fragrant native plants and answer questions. —Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2024

What to know about weedy seadragons Weedy seadragons are native to Australia, according to the aquarium. —Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 2 Apr. 2024

Ramps are native to the woodlands of North America, including the U.S. and Canada. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 1 Apr. 2024

Those trees are native to the Spanish islands off the coast of Africa. —Barbara Henry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Mar. 2024

Glycyrrhiza glabra is a species native to Eurasia and North Africa from which most confectionery licorice is produced. —Bill Sullivan, Discover Magazine, 30 Mar. 2024

Legions of insects have evolved to help native plants with long-distance reproduction, including butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, midges and gnats. —Andrew Van Dam, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024

Noun

Despite the heat, Tony Green, also a Fort Worth native, sported a violet colored blazer featuring a plethora of Fort Worth themed patches and those of local businesses to the event. —Noah Alcala Bach, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Apr. 2024

Coleman, a Chicago native, played at Weber State and Lamar. —Bob Holt, arkansasonline.com, 13 Apr. 2024

Viewers enjoyed the dignified combination of MacNeil, who spoke in a clipped, erudite manner; and Lehrer, a Kansas native with a soft heartland drawl. —Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024

The Nashville native, 48, who went on to win an Oscar for her portrayal of June Carter in 2005’s Walk the Line and launched her Draper James line in 2015 and the media company Hello Sunshine in 2016, is the proud mom of three including her sons Deacon, 20, and Tennessee, 11. —Mia McNiece, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024

Chef Jonathan Olvera will lead the kitchen at MAS, showcasing recipes that reflect the Salisbury native’s family’s roots from the Michoacan region of Mexico. —Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 10 Apr. 2024

The New York City native began acting on the stage in 1950s Broadway shows like Take a Giant Step, The Desk Set, and A Raisin in the Sun. —Charmaine Patterson, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2024

This Charlotte native is finishing up her senior year at Appalachian State University with a B.S. in Journalism and has experience reporting in Nashville, Washington D.C., and Boone. —Jody MacE, Charlotte Observer, 3 Apr. 2024

The Detroit native just revealed that his first book will arrive later this year. —Michael Saponara, Billboard, 3 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle English natif, from Middle French, from Latin nativus, from natus, past participle of nasci to be born — more at nation

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing native

• native-born
• native soil
• native land
• go native
• non-native
• native speaker

Kids Definition

native

1 of 2 adjective

na·​tive ˈnāt-iv 

1

: inborn sense 1, natural

native ability

2

: born in a particular place or country

native Hawaiians

3

: belonging to one because of the place or circumstances of one's birth

my native language

4

a

: grown, produced, or having its beginning in a particular region

native art

native stone

b

: living or growing naturally in a particular region

native plants

5

: found in nature especially in a pure form : not artificially prepared

native salt

6

capitalized : of, relating to, or being a member of an indigenous people of North or South America : native american

natively adverb

native

2 of 2 noun

1

: one born or raised in a particular place

a native of Milwaukee

2

: one of a people living in a place before the arrival of foreigners

3

: something native to or produced in a locality

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English natif "native," from early French natif (same meaning), from Latin nativus (same meaning), from natus, past participle of nasci "to be born" — related to innate, naive, nature

Medical Definition

native

adjective

na·​tive ˈnāt-iv 

1

: belonging to or associated with one by birth

2

: living or growing naturally in a particular region

3

a

: constituting the original substance or source

b

: found in nature especially in an unadulterated form

conversion of a native protein to a denatured protein

natively adverb