non-native

adjective

non-na·​tive ˌnän-ˈnā-tiv How to pronounce non-native (audio)
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
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
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.
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 

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of non-native was in 1845

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 21 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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