n.
Pronunciation: ' n ā -tiv
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English natif, from Middle French, from Latin nativus, from natus, past participle of nasci to be born ― more at NATION
Date: 14th century
1 : INBORN , INNATE < native talents>
2 : belonging to a particular place by birth < native to Wisconsin>
3 archaic : closely related
4 : belonging to or associated with one by birth
5 : NATURAL , NORMAL
6 a : grown, produced, or originating in a particular place or in the vicinity : LOCAL b : living or growing naturally in a particular region : INDIGENOUS
7 : SIMPLE , UNAFFECTED
8 a : constituting the original substance or source b : found in nature especially in an unadulterated form <mining native silver>
9 chiefly Australian : having a usually superficial resemblance to a specified English plant or animal
10 capitalized : of, relating to, or being a member of an aboriginal people of No. or So. America : NATIVE AMERICAN
– na · tive · ly adverb
– na · tive · ness noun
synonyms 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>.