nonnative

American  

[non-ney-tiv] / ˌnɒnˈneɪ tɪv /

adjective

1. of or relating to a language that is not the first language acquired by a person.

   It is harder to communicate in your nonnative language.

2. of or relating to a person communicating in a nonnative language.

   a nonnative speaker of English.

3. Biology. of or relating to a plant or animal that is not indigenous to a region.

   The proliferation of nonnative plants is choking out the local flora.

4. Digital Technology. of or relating to software that was not originally designed for the platform on which it is running.

   nonnative user interfaces;

   nonnative apps.

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Etymology

Origin of nonnative

First recorded in 1850–60; non- ( def. ) + native ( def. )

Example Sentences

In New Zealand, nonnative mammals are thought to kill 68,000 native birds each night.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

A nonprofit proposes to eliminate Catalina Island’s deer population using contracted hunters, saying the nonnative animals heighten wildfire risk by eating native vegetation.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2026

This month, the California Island Conservancy announced a plan to rid the landscape of its entire nonnative deer population using contracted hunters, saying the animals increase the risk of wildfire.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 8, 2025

More than 50 nonnative reptile species are now established across the state, with many posing severe threats to agriculture, native ecosystems, public safety and the state's economy.

From Science Daily • Nov. 22, 2024

There was one class for nonnative speakers, and all the rest of the periods were for fluent speakers.

From "The First Rule of Punk" by Celia C. Pérez

Related Words

• alien
• different
• external
• offshore
• overseas
• unfamiliar