native
/ˈneɪ.tɪv/Used to describe a person, animal, or plant that comes from a particular place. It can also mean born in a place or belonging naturally to it.
- She is a native of Delhi.
- The native birds live near the lake.
- This plant is native to South America.
A person who was born in a place, or who belongs to a local group or country.
- The guide spoke with a native.
- Many natives welcomed the visitors.
- She is a native of Kerala.
Used for the first language of a person, or the language spoken in a place since long ago.
- English is not my native language.
- He speaks in his native tongue.
- They read the text in native Hindi.
Adinary Nuance
Native is different from local, which mainly means from the area now. Native often suggests a deeper original connection to a place, language, or species. It also sounds more formal than everyday words like hometown or local in some contexts. Be careful: native can be neutral, but in some historical contexts it was used in rude ways for Indigenous people.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- bản xứ
- Spanish
- nativo
- Chinese
- 本土的
- Japanese
- 母語の
- Korean
- 원주민의
Etymology
From Latin nativeus, from natus meaning 'born'. The word came into English in the late Middle Ages, first about birth and origin.
Common phrases
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is native the same as local?
- Not exactly. Native means originally from a place, while local means living in or belonging to that place now.
- Is native formal or informal?
- It is neutral and common in writing, school, and speech. It can sound slightly formal in some phrases.
- Can I say native speaker?
- Yes. Native speaker is a very common and natural phrase in English.
- Is native always about people?
- No. It can also describe plants, animals, and languages.