I. na ‧ tive 1 S3 W3 /ˈneɪtɪv/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: French ; Origin: natif , from Latin nativus , from natus ; ⇨ ↑ nation ]
1 . COUNTRY [only before noun] your native country, town etc is the place where you were born ⇨ home :
They never saw their native land again.
He spent most of his professional life outside his native Poland.
2 . native New Yorker/population/inhabitants etc a person or people who come from or have always lived in a particular place
3 . native language/tongue the language you spoke when you first learned to speak SYN first language :
English is not the native language for almost half of our overseas visitors.
4 . PLANT/ANIMAL growing, living, produced etc in one particular place SYN indigenous :
Singapore has many native species of palm.
native to
These fish are native to North America.
5 . ART/CUSTOM [only before noun] native customs, traditions etc are related to people who lived in a particular country before European people arrived there:
the native traditions of Peru
stalls selling native jewelry
native folklore
6 . NATURAL [only before noun] a native ability is one that you have naturally from birth:
her native wit
7 . go native to behave, dress, or speak like the people who live in the country where you have come to stay or work – used humorously:
Austen has been living in New Guinea so long he’s gone native.
II. native 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
1 . a person who was born in a particular place
native of
a native of Switzerland
2 . someone who lives in a place all the time or has lived there a long time
native of
He has become a native of Glasgow.
3 . [usually plural] not polite a word used by white people in the past to refer to the people who lived in America, Africa, southern Asia etc before European people arrived, now considered offensive:
He was not certain whether the natives were friendly.
4 . a plant or animal that grows or lives naturally in a place
native of
The bear was once a native of Britain.
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THESAURUS
▪ citizen someone who lives in a particular town, country, or state:
In order to become a US citizen, you need to have a Permanent Resident card.
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All British citizens have the right to live in the UK.
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Good citizens understand that they have a responsibility to the community.
▪ national a citizen of a country who is living in another country:
She insisted that foreign nationals were safe in the country.
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Russians nationals were ordered to leave.
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Her husband is a French national.
▪ resident someone who lives in a particular street or area:
There have been complaints by local residents about the building work.
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She was a resident of Chicago for many years.
▪ native someone who was born in a particular country but moved to another country – used when describing a person or their life:
Picasso was a native of Spain, although he spent much of his life in France.
▪ subject someone who was born in a country that has a king or queen, and has a right to live there:
Northern Ireland citizens are British subjects.
▪ alien formal someone who is not a legal citizen of the country they are living or working in - used in official contexts:
Employers cannot hire illegal aliens.