Native — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˈnā-tiv/ na·tive

Meaning & Definition of Native

Native (adjective)

  1. inborn, innate
  2. belonging to a particular place by birth
  3. closely related

Native (noun)

  1. one born or reared in a particular place
  2. an original or Indigenous inhabitant
  3. something indigenous to a particular locality

Native (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. belonging to a particular place by birth or origin

    "though she now lived in the Northeast, she was a native Midwesterner"

    similar: aboriginal, autochthonous, born, domestic, endemic, indigenous
    related: local, regional, original
    opposite: nonindigenous, nonnative
    near: imported, introduced, transplanted, alien, exotic, foreign, strange, expatriate, immigrant

  2. being such as found in nature and not altered by processing or refining

    "diamonds in their native state are not the bright, flashy gems that one might imagine"

    similar: crude, natural, raw, rude, undressed, unprocessed, unrefined, untreated, in the raw, in the rough
    related: undeveloped, rough-hewn, semifinished, unfinished, unpolished, uncooked, impure, unfiltered
    opposite: dressed, processed, refined, treated
    near: filtered, pure, purified

  3. being a part of the innermost nature of a person or thing

    "a native energy and ambition that would allow him to rise above his humble beginnings"

    similar: built-in, constitutional, constitutive, essential, hardwired, immanent, inborn, inbred, indigenous, ingrain, ingrained, inherent, innate, integral, intrinsic, natural, in one's blood
    related: basic, deep-rooted, elemental, fundamental, congenital, hereditary, inherited, inmost, inner, interior, internal, characteristic, distinctive, peculiar, habitual, inveterate, normal, regular, typical
    opposite: adventitious, extraneous, extrinsic
    near: alien, foreign, accidental, coincidental, incidental, acquired, adscititious, superficial, surface, exterior, external

Native (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a usually longtime resident of a locality

    "the natives seem to resent the summer tourists even though they depend upon them for their livelihood"

    similar: local, localite, townie, year-rounder
    related: denizen, dweller, habitant, inhabitant, occupant, resident, resider
    near: excursionist, sightseer, traveler, holidayer, vacationer, vacationist

  2. a member of the first people to inhabit a region

    "the anthropologist spent two years living among the island's natives and observing and documenting their customs and traditions"

    similar: aboriginal, aborigine, autochthon, indigene
    opposite: nonnative
    near: alien, foreigner

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Native

The most common words with a similar meaning to Native:

aboriginal, autochthonous, born, domestic, endemic, indigenous, crude, natural, raw, rude, undressed, unprocessed, unrefined, untreated, built-in, constitutional, constitutive, essential, hardwired, immanent, inborn, inbred, ingrain, ingrained, inherent, innate, integral, intrinsic, in the raw, in the rough, in one's blood, local, localite, townie, year-rounder, aborigine, autochthon, indigene

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Native

Words with the opposite meaning of Native:

nonindigenous, nonnative, dressed, processed, refined, treated, adventitious, extraneous, extrinsic

Related Words for Native

regional, original, undeveloped, rough-hewn, semifinished, unfinished, unpolished, uncooked, impure, unfiltered, basic, deep-rooted, elemental, fundamental, congenital, hereditary, inherited, inmost, inner, interior, internal, characteristic, distinctive, peculiar, habitual, inveterate, normal, regular, typical, denizen

Near Antonyms of Native

imported, introduced, transplanted, alien, exotic, foreign, strange, expatriate, immigrant, filtered, pure, purified, accidental, coincidental, incidental, acquired, adscititious, superficial, surface, exterior, external, excursionist, sightseer, traveler, holidayer, vacationer, vacationist, foreigner

Word Forms of Native

Inflections: natives

Derived words: natively (adverb), nativeness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Native

Middle English natif, from Middle French, from Latin nativus, from natus, past participle of nasci to be born nation

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Native

Words & Phrases Containing Native

Native American, Native Alaskan, native-born, native land, native soil, native speaker, Alaska Native, non-native

Frequently Asked Questions about Native

What does "Native" mean?

"Native" means inborn, innate. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: inborn, innate. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Native"?

Other words for "Native" include aboriginal, autochthonous, born, domestic, endemic, indigenous, crude and natural. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Native" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Native"?

There are 74 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Native". Common alternatives include aboriginal, autochthonous, born, domestic, endemic, indigenous, crude, natural, raw and rude.

What is the opposite of "Native"?

Antonyms of "Native" include nonindigenous, nonnative, dressed, processed, refined, treated, adventitious and extraneous. Near antonyms include imported, introduced, transplanted and alien.

How do you use "Native" in a sentence?

Examples of "Native" in a sentence: "though she now lived in the Northeast, she was a native Midwesterner"; "diamonds in their native state are not the bright, flashy gems that one might imagine"; "a native energy and ambition that would allow him to rise above his humble beginnings".

Is "Native" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Native" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Native" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Native" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Native"?

"Native" is pronounced /ˈnā-tiv/ and divided into syllables as na·tive.