Skip to main content
native

native

453 1.5
From a particular place originally, often by birth or long history
  • adjective
  • /ˈneɪtɪv/
translation icon : nativo
  • But you can never again set foot on your native soil.
  • native language
  • native speaker
  • native people

So they they go on and GED says her native tongue, her mother tongue.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • The lush forests are home to many native plants that thrive in this climate.

  • The stories told herein do help build a sense of the Native American worldview.

    Academic text (2017)
  • We are a band of brothers native to the soil.

  • I'll show you some images of the native city from the British view.

  • Well, we're primarily involved with the study of Native American culture.

  • A traditional dish native to South Central France.

  • In Tangier, I lived in one room in the native quarter.

  • All of the children were reported to be monolingual, native speakers of Standard American English.

    Academic text (2015)
  • For instance, Edward S. Curtis's photos of Native American people are well known from history.

    Academic text (2012)
  • First, the increasingly popular language of trauma resonates with Native peoples and within Native communities.

    Academic text (2008)

Synonyms

indigenous
vsnative
104 5.6

Living or growing naturally in a place and not moved there from somewhere else

covers people, things, or languages that come from that area
endemic
vsnative
27 7.2

Found regularly in a particular place or group of people

is more general, covering any people or things originating there
aboriginal
vsnative
24 6.5

Of the first people or things living in a region

focuses on ancient presence rather than simple belonging by birth or development
born and bred
vsnative
12 4.0

A person who grew up in a place or family and feels a strong connection to it

is about originating there generally, not about upbringing or close local ties
native-born
vsnative
9 3.7

A person born in a place who did not move there later

includes that but also covers things and languages originating there
trueborn
vsnative
  • Archaic
7.5

A person born in a place who is a native of that city or region

is broader, applying to people, things, or language from that place
autochthonal
vsnative
  • Specialized
9.9

Living naturally in the place where it is found

is the everyday term for belonging to that place by birth or development
autochthonic
vsnative
  • Formal
9.9

Native to the place where it is found

is the common, broader expression for origin by birth or natural development

Antonyms

481 3.4

From another country or language and not familiar here

1 4.9

From another place, often brought there by people

Compounds

161 3.4

A person whose family lived in North or South America before Europeans arrived

The first language a person learns as a child

9 3.7

A person born in a place who did not move there later

9 3.6

A country where a person was born and still feels at home

A person who learned a language as a child and uses it as their main language

A person whose family comes from the first people of the Hawaiian Islands

A person whose family comes from the original peoples of Alaska

1 4.4

The land where you are born and grow up

A person whose family lived in Alaska before other people arrived

native Australian
  • Australian
1 5.1

A person whose family lived in Australia before Europeans arrived

native pear
  • Australian
1 9.9

A tree that has pear-shaped fruit with thick hard skin

A person from the original communities who lived in Alaska or whose family comes from them

native bear
  • Australian
4.8

A small Australian animal that lives in trees, carries babies in a pouch, and eats eucalyptus leaves

native beech
  • Australian
8.9

A tall Australian tree with hard wood used to make furniture and tools

native cat
  • Australian
9.2

A small Australian animal that looks like a cat and carries its babies in a pouch

native cranberry
  • Australian
7.4

A low spreading shrub with bright red flowers and small berries like cranberries

native fuchsia
  • New Zealand
8.4

A shrub or small tree from New Zealand with dark red flowers that grows up to 10 feet tall

native pomegranate
  • Australian
9.9

A small Australian tree that makes tart red fruit you can eat

native sulphur
  • Archaic
8.7

A bright yellow mineral that occurs as pure crystals in rocks and near volcanoes

native holly
  • Australian
9.8

A low evergreen shrub from southern Australia with triangular or heart-shaped leaves and orange-yellow flowers

native orange
  • Australian
9.9

A small Australian tree that has dark purple berries you can eat

native peach
  • Australian
8.1

An Australian fruit with red flesh used in desserts and jam

How Native

indigenous
104 5.6
native
453 1.5
nonnative
1 4.9

Surface Forms

native positive
nativier comparative
nativest superlative

Etymology

Native comes from the Latin word nativus, from natus meaning 'born', so it helps to think of something that is 'born' in a place; that's why a native language or culture is one that started or grew there naturally.