native

[ ney-tiv ]

/ ˈneɪ tɪv /

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adjective

being the place or environment in which a person was born or a thing came into being: one's native land.

belonging to a person by birth or to a thing by nature; inherent: native ability; native grace.

belonging by birth to a people regarded as indigenous to a certain place, especially a preliterate people: Native guides accompanied the expedition through the rain forest.

of indigenous origin, growth, or production: native pottery.

of, relating to, or characteristic of the indigenous inhabitants of a place or country: native customs; native dress.

born in a particular place or country: a native New Yorker.

of or relating to a language acquired by a person before or to the exclusion of any other language: Her native language is Greek.

pertaining to or characteristic of a person using his or her native language: a native speaker of English; native command of a language.

under the rule of natives: a native government.

occupied by natives: the native quarter of Algiers.

remaining or growing in a natural state; unadorned or unchanged: the native beauty of a desert island.

forming the source or origin of a person or thing: He returned to his native Kansas.

originating naturally in a particular country or region, as animals or plants.

found in nature rather than produced artificially, as a mineral substance: the difference between native and industrial diamonds.

Chemistry, Mineralogy. (of metals) occurring in nature pure or uncombined: native copper.

belonging to a person as a birthright: to deprive a person of his native rights.

Digital Technology.

of or relating to software designed specifically for the platform on which it is running: native applications for 64-bit PCs;native mobile apps.
of or relating to data interpreted or displayed by the software or hardware for which it was originally encoded: to view the file in its native format.

Archaic. closely related, as by birth.

noun

Sometimes Offensive. one of the people indigenous to a place or country, especially as distinguished from strangers, foreigners, colonizers, etc.: the natives of Chile.

a person born in a particular place or country: a native of Ohio.

an organism indigenous to a particular region.

British. an oyster reared in British waters, especially in an artificial bed.

Astrology. a person born under a particular planet.

Nearby words

Idioms

go native, Informal: Sometimes Offensive. to adopt the way of life of a place or environment that is different from one's own (sometimes used facetiously): After living on the island for a year, we went native and did without air conditioning just like the locals. I don’t usually drink alcohol, but at the frat party I went native and played beer pong with everyone else.

Origin of native

1325–75; < Latin nātīvus inborn, natural, equivalent to nāt(us) (past participle of nāscī to be born) + -īvus -ive; replacing Middle English natif (adj.) < Middle French < Latin, as above

SYNONYMS FOR native

2 inherited, innate, inbred, congenital.

4 autochthonous, aboriginal.

11 real, genuine, original.

24 aborigine.

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ANTONYMS FOR native

2 acquired.

24 alien

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Related forms

na·tive·ly, adverbna·tive·ness, nounnon·na·tive, adjective, nounnon·na·tive·ly, adverb

non·na·tive·ness, nounpro·na·tive, adjectivequa·si-na·tive, adjectiveun·na·tive, adjective

Usage note

When used to mean "an original inhabitant of a place or country," the noun native may be taken as offensive and has declined in use. Historically it is associated with colonialist attitudes: indigenous people, especially when nonwhite, were typically considered to be primitive or culturally inferior. Unlike the noun, the corresponding adjectival use of native is generally acceptable, as in Native American.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for go native

native

/ (ˈneɪtɪv) /

adjective

relating or belonging to a person or thing by virtue of conditions existing at the time of birthmy native city

inherent, natural, or innatea native strength

born in a specified placea native German

(when postpositive, foll by to) originating in a specific place or areakangaroos are native to Australia

characteristic of or relating to the indigenous inhabitants of a country or areathe native art of the New Guinea Highlands

(of chemical elements, esp metals) found naturally in the elemental form

unadulterated by civilization, artifice, or adornment; natural

archaic related by birth or race

go native (of a settler) to adopt the lifestyle of the local population, esp when it appears less civilized

noun

(usually foll by of) a person born in a particular placea native of Geneva

(usually foll by of) a species originating in a particular place or areathe kangaroo is a native of Australia

a member of an indigenous people of a country or area, esp a non-White people, as opposed to colonial settlers and immigrants

offensive, old-fashioned any non-White

Derived Formsnatively, adverbnativeness, noun

Word Origin for native

C14: from Latin nātīvus innate, natural, from nascī to be born

usage

Because of its potentially offensive and colonial overtones, native as a noun without qualification is best avoided. It is however acceptable when modified, as in : natives of Edinburgh, or a native of North Carolina

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

Word Origin and History for go native (1 of 2)

native

adj.

late 14c., "natural, hereditary, connected with something in a natural way," from Old French natif "native, born in; raw, unspoiled" (14c.) and directly from Latin nativus "innate, produced by birth," from natus, past participle of nasci (Old Latin gnasci) "be born," related to gignere "beget," from PIE root *gene-/*gen- "to give birth, beget," with derivatives referring to familial and tribal groups (see genus). From late 15c. as "born in a particular place." From early 15c. as "of one's birth," also used from mid-15c. in sense of "bound; born in servitude or serfdom," also, as a noun "a bondsman, serf." Native American attested from 1956.

Word Origin and History for go native (1 of 2)

native

mid-15c., "person born in bondage," from native (adj.), and in some usages from Medieval Latin nativus, noun use of nativus (adj.). Cf. Old French naif, also "woman born in slavery." From 1530s as "person who has always lived in a place." Applied from 1650s to original inhabitants of non-European nations where Europeans hold political power, e.g., of American Indians, by 1630s; hence, used contemptuously of "the locals" from 1800. Related: Natives.

Medicine definitions for go native

native

[ nā′tĭv ]

adj.

Originating, growing, or produced in a certain place or region; indigenous.

Occurring in nature pure or uncombined with other substances.

Science definitions for go native

native

[ nā′tĭv ]

Living or growing naturally in a particular place or region; indigenous.

Occurring in nature on its own, uncombined with other substances. Copper and gold are often found in native form.

Of or relating to the naturally occurring conformation of a macromolecule, such as a protein.

Idioms and Phrases with go native

go native

Adopt another people's way of life, especially that of a culture from a less developed country. For example, Ben's decided to go native, sleeping in a hammock and eating all kinds of strange foods. This expression is closely associated with the often contemptuous view British colonists had of indigenous peoples. [c. 1900]

native

adjective

noun

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Origin of native

Usage note

British Dictionary definitions for go native

native

adjective

noun

Word Origin for native

usage

Word Origin and History for go native (1 of 2)

native

Word Origin and History for go native (1 of 2)

native

Medicine definitions for go native

native

adj.

Science definitions for go native

native

Idioms and Phrases with go native

go native