native

1 of 2

adjective

na·​tive ˈnā-tiv How to pronounce native (audio)
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 dramatistWilliam 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 pedantryEdmund Burke
8
a
: constituting the original substance or source
the way I must return to native dustJohn 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
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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Adjective
The number of streets named Chestnut and Elm testify to the fame and beauty of these native American trees. Bob Hirshon, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024 Voters throughout the Bay Area reacted to both local and national elections on Tuesday night, as former President Donald Trump soundly defeated Vice President and Oakland native Kamala Harris to serve a second term. Aric Crabb, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Noun
Brown does not have prototypical size, listed at 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds, but the Naples, Fla., native loves his role on the team. Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 8 Nov. 2024 Barr, a Lexington native in office since 2013, once worked as deputy counsel for then-Gov. Ernie Fletcher and is a member of the House Financial Services Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee. Lucas Aulbach, The Courier-Journal, 6 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for native 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of native was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near native

Cite this Entry

“Native.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/native. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

native

1 of 2 adjective
na·​tive ˈnāt-iv How to pronounce native (audio)
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
a
: an original or Indigenous inhabitant
b
: something indigenous to a particular locality
3
: a local resident
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 How to pronounce native (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on native

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