native
adjective
na·tive
| \ ˈnā-tiv
\
\
Definition of native
(Entry 1 of 2)
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 dramatist— William Peden
6a
: 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 pedantry— Edmund Burke
8a
: constituting the original substance or source
the way I must return to native dust— John 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
native
nounDefinition of native (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: one born or reared in a particular place
2a
: 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
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Synonyms & Antonyms for native
Synonyms: Adjective
aboriginal, autochthonous, born, domestic, endemic, indigenous
Synonyms: Noun
local, localite, townie (or towny), year-rounder
Antonyms: Adjective
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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: Adjective
In 2002 Petrakis, a Winter Park native, was working at the Ritz-Carlton in New York under acclaimed Chef Gabriel Kreuther. — Amy Drew Thompson, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Norman’s Orlando’s 16-year Ritz-Carlton run ends Aug. 31 – but there’s a 2.0 on the horizon," 2 Aug. 2019 Each day more and more globetrotters, like Liberian native Celia (@findingmutanu), discover the wonders of Myanmar and introduce its beauty to the world. — Danielle Pointdujour, Essence, "Black Travel Vibes: Myanmar Is The Travel Gem You Didn't Know Existed," 1 Aug. 2019 McLeod and Schmegelsky are wanted in connection with the murders of North Carolina native, Chynna Deese and her Australian boyfriend, Lucas Fowler, who were found near their van on the side of the road more than a week ago. — CBS News, "Police confirm two sightings of teen suspects in Canada highway murders," 26 July 2019 For something out of the ordinary, order the Kulfi pop (Indian ice cream with pistachio and cardamom) or the Akbhar Mashti, from the couple’s native Iran, that features saffron, rosewater, cream, and pistachio. — Birmingham Magazine, al.com, "Where to get the best summertime treats in Birmingham," 24 July 2019 Apple snails, which are found in slow-moving streams, ponds and lakes, are native to South America but started appearing in the Lone Star State in the '90s. — Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, "An Invasive Species of Giant Snail is Plaguing One Texas Community," 24 July 2019 Those dead insects include a pill beetle called Simplocaria metallica, which (as far as anyone knows) is native to Greenland, not Canada. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "New archaeological layer discovered at L’Anse aux Meadows," 17 July 2019 Cincinnati native Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass.; and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. — Byron Mccauley, Cincinnati.com, "We need more truthtellers like Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose," 16 July 2019 Many immigration consultants speak their native language, claim to charge less than a regular attorney, and understand them culturally. — Giulia Mcdonnell Nieto Del Rio, latimes.com, "Advance notice of ICE raids may push immigrants toward unauthorized legal help," 13 July 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
On the day of the initiation, John was given a shopping list: candles, bug spray, a kola nut (a caffeinated nut native to West Africa), razor blades, and 10,000 Nigerian naira (around thirty dollars)—his bamming fee. — Sean Williams, Harper's magazine, "The Black Axe," 19 Aug. 2019 Hemsworth, an Australian native, was previously spotted surfing in Byron Bay on Tuesday in his first appearance post-split. — Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE.com, "Liam Hemsworth Hits Up a Bar in Australia as Miley Cyrus Continues L.A. Outings with Kaitlynn Carter," 18 Aug. 2019 But as a Maine native, he and childhood friend Eric Martin had been for decades kicking around the idea of making a wine from the state’s wild blueberries. — Fortune, "How Fruit Wines Are Becoming Serious Business," 17 Aug. 2019 Brighter, timelier prospects for free trade might lie in the hands of two husky, showy New York natives with bold blond hair and tame blue suits: U.S. president Donald J. Trump and U.K. prime minister Boris Johnson. — Deroy Murdock, National Review, "As U.S.–China Talks Meander, U.S.–U.K. Pact Could Revive Free Trade," 16 Aug. 2019 Arain Lin, a 26-year-old native of Fujian Province in China, was traveling back to the mainland on Thursday after vacationing in Hong Kong. — Raymond Zhong, New York Times, "Going From Hong Kong to Mainland China? Your Phone Is Subject to Search," 15 Aug. 2019 Rojas, a Glendale native, attended Goodyear Millennium High School and Paradise Valley Community College before signing with the University of Hawaii. — Drake Hills, azcentral, "Diamondbacks lefty Robbie Ray heads to IL, relieved by negative MRI scan," 15 Aug. 2019 But the Frankfort, Indiana, native has never played the Vogue — Broad Ripple's live music palace. — David Lindquist, Indianapolis Star, "Matchbox Twenty guitarist Kyle Cook is coming home to Indiana for solo show at the Vogue," 14 Aug. 2019 Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi, a Cincinnati native and Madeira grad, could return to GABP for the first time since 2017. — Bobby Nightengale, Cincinnati.com, "Cincinnati Reds release 2020 schedule; Opening Day on March 26 vs. St. Louis Cardinals," 12 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'native.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.