indigenous

[in-dij-uh-nuhs]

adjective

1. originating in and characteristic of a particular region or country; native (often followed byto ).

   the plants indigenous to Canada.

   Synonyms: natural, aboriginal, autochthonous
   Antonyms: exotic, foreign

2. Indigenous. relating to or being a people who are the original, earliest known inhabitants of a region, or are their descendants: the Indigenous languages of the Americas.

   the Indigenous Maori of New Zealand;

   the Indigenous languages of the Americas.

3. innate; inherent; natural (usually followed byto ).

   feelings indigenous to human beings.

indigenous

/ ɪnˈdɪdʒɪnəs, ˌɪndɪˈdʒɛnɪtɪ /

adjective

1. originating or occurring naturally (in a country, region, etc); native

2. innate (to); inherent (in)

indigenous

1. Native to a particular region or environment but occurring naturally in other places as well. The American black bear is indigenous to many different parts of North America.

2. Compare alien endemic

Other Word Forms

• indigenously adverb
• indigenousness noun
• indigenity noun
• nonindigenous adjective
• unindigenous adjective
• unindigenously adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of indigenous¹

First recorded in 1640–50; from Latin indigen(a) “native, original inhabitant” ( indi-, by-form of in- in- ² ( indagate ) + -gena, derivative from base of gignere “to bring into being”; genital, genitor ) + -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of indigenous¹

C17: from Latin indigenus, from indigena indigene, from indi- in + gignere to beget

Example Sentences

The indigenous people were long known as the Chamorro, a spelling imposed by the Spanish, but local legislation has recently favored the spelling “CHamoru.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It isn’t gold or oil hidden here in a grassy clearing between indigenous lands, but fertilizer—something arguably just as precious to this vast farming nation.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

And F those Pilgrims, because I’m still that radical in his early 20s learning about solidarity with indigenous people.

Read more on Salon

The consequences are proving catastrophic for the indigenous Black population.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The violence, which erupted in May 2023 between the majority Meitei and the indigenous Kuki communities, was the worst the region had witnessed in decades.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• congenital 
• connate 
• constitutional 
• essential 
• fundamental 
• inborn 
• inherent 
• inherited 
• innate 
• intrinsic 
• natural 
• unacquired www.thesaurus.com