non-native
adjective
non-na·tive
ˌnän-ˈnā-tiv 
variants
or nonnative
: not native: such as
a
of a plant or animal
: living or growing in a place that is not the location of its natural occurrence
a non-native fish species
… overgrazing causes grasslands to give way to sagebrush, mesquite and non-native exotic grasses, environmentalists contend.—
Doug McInnis
Doug McInnis
b
: not born or raised in the place where a particular language is spoken
non-native inhabitants
a nonnative speaker of English [=a person who speaks English but whose native language is not English]
non-native
noun
or nonnative
plural non-natives or nonnatives
popular among both natives and non-natives
Examples of non-native in a Sentence
nonnative customs that made the recent immigrants stand out in their new country
Recent Examples on the Web
Native American Woman Vanished from Reservation in 2020, FBI Offers $10,000 Reward for Information
As a child, Johnson-Davis was removed from her family’s home and put in the foster home of a non-native family, her sister Blouin says.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 2 Nov. 2024
This annual tradition is not just about culling these toxic, non-native amphibians, but also about reclaiming a natural balance that was once upended by one of the greatest ecological missteps in the nation's history.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
Heavy development also made the land vulnerable to non-native buckthorn, honeysuckle, garlic mustard, purple loosestrife, multiflora rose and mulberry.
—Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2024
Our findings offer several valuable takeaways: Invest in language training: This can significantly enhance any non-native team members’ ability to communicate and contribute to the workplace.
—Iese Business School, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for non-native 
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Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 2 Nov. 2024
This annual tradition is not just about culling these toxic, non-native amphibians, but also about reclaiming a natural balance that was once upended by one of the greatest ecological missteps in the nation's history.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
Heavy development also made the land vulnerable to non-native buckthorn, honeysuckle, garlic mustard, purple loosestrife, multiflora rose and mulberry.
—Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2024
Our findings offer several valuable takeaways: Invest in language training: This can significantly enhance any non-native team members’ ability to communicate and contribute to the workplace.
—Iese Business School, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for non-native
Dictionary Entries Near non-native
Cite this Entry
“Non-native.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/non-native. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.
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