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¹native

adjective na·tive \ˈnā-tiv\

: born in a particular place

—used to refer to the place where a person was born and raised

: belonging to a person since birth or childhood

Full Definition of NATIVE

: inborn, innate <native talents>

: belonging to a particular place by birth

archaic : closely related

: belonging to or associated with one by birth

: natural, normal

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

b : living or growing naturally in a particular region : indigenous

: simple, unaffected

a : constituting the original substance or source

b : found in nature especially in an unadulterated form <mining native silver>

chiefly Australian : having a usually superficial resemblance to a specified English plant or animal

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

— na·tive·ly adverb

— na·tive·ness noun

See native defined for English-language learners

See native defined for kids

Origin of NATIVE

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

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to NATIVE

Synonyms: aboriginal, autochthonous, born, domestic, endemic, indigenous

Antonyms: nonindigenous, nonnative

Synonym Discussion of 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 species or races and adds to native the implication of not having been introduced from elsewhere <maize is indigenous to America>. endemic implies being peculiar to a region <edelweiss is endemic in the Alps>. aboriginal implies having no known race preceding in occupancy of the region <the aboriginal peoples of Australia>.

Rhymes with NATIVE

dative, stative

²native

noun

: a person who was born or raised in a particular place

: a person from a group of people who were living in an area (such as South America or Africa) when Europeans first arrived

: a kind of plant or animal that originally grew or lived in a particular place

Full Definition of NATIVE

: one born or reared in a particular place

a : an original or indigenous inhabitant

b : something indigenous to a particular locality

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

See native defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of NATIVE

1535

Related to NATIVE

Synonyms: local, localite, townie (or towny), year-rounder

Antonyms: nonnative

Rhymes with NATIVE

dative

NATIVE[1] Defined for Kids

¹native

adjective na·tive \ˈnā-tiv\

Definition of NATIVE for Kids

: born in a certain place or country <He's a native Belgian.>

: belonging to a person because of place of birth <His parents speak their native language at home.>

: living or growing naturally in a certain region <native plants>

: grown, produced, or coming from a certain place <native tomatoes> <native art>

: natural 3 <He's a swimmer with native ability.>

Word Root of NATIVE

The Latin word nāscī, meaning “to be born,” and its form nātus give us the roots nat and nai. Words from the Latin nāscī have something to do with being born. When someone is native to a particular place, she or he was born there. A nation, or country, is a place where people are born. Anyone naive has a lack of knowledge and experience as if he or she was only recently born.

²native

noun

Definition of NATIVE for Kids

: a person who was born in or comes from a particular place

: a kind of plant or animal that originally grew or lived in a particular place

Medical Dictionary

native

adjective na·tive \ˈnāt-iv\

Medical Definition of NATIVE

: belonging to or associated with one by birth

: living or growing naturally in a particular region

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>

—na·tive·ly adverb