digital native

American

[dij-i-tl ney-tiv] / ˈdɪdʒ ɪ tl ˈneɪ tɪv /

noun

Digital Technology.

a person who has been familiar with computers, the internet, and other digital technology from a young age.

digital native British

noun

informal a person who has been familiar with information technology since childhood Compare digital immigrant analogue

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of digital native

First recorded in 2001; coined by Marc Prensky, born 1946, American educator and consultant, on analogy with a native speaker of a language

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But the digital native children of the 21st century had to compete with a plethora of tech terms -- not to mention US President Donald Trump, who also exerted his inescapable influence.

From Barron's • Nov. 26, 2025

“You don’t want to build for a digital native … as if you’re just doing hosting for them,” he said.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 30, 2025

I’m cringing as I type this, but I pride myself on being a digital native.

From Slate • Oct. 19, 2022

"A digital native form of safe central bank money could enhance stability by providing the neutral trusted settlement layer in the future financial system," Rehn said, echoing recent comments by U.S.

From Reuters • Aug. 24, 2022

As an information technology engineer and digital native, Tim Hamner Jr. spends a lot of time online, consuming videos, podcasts and news.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2022

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023