indigenous

American  

[in-dij-uh-nuhs] / ɪnˈdɪdʒ ə nəs /

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.

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indigenous British  

/ ɪnˈdɪdʒɪnəs /

adjective

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

2. innate (to); inherent (in)

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indigenous Scientific  

/ ĭn-dĭj′ə-nəs /

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

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Other Word Forms

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

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Etymology

Origin of indigenous

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

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Explanation

Use indigenous to describe a plant, animal or person that is native or original to an area. Though Switzerland is known for its chocolates, chocolate, which comes from the cocoa plant, is indigenous to South America. Indigenous, aboriginal, and native all mean the same thing. Aboriginal, however, is commonly used in connection with Australia, and native with North America. The most neutral of the three terms, indigenous comes from the Latin word, indigena meaning "a native." An indigenous ceremony or religion is one traditionally used by a certain group of people.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

indigenous

To the Tongva, the indigenous people of the Los Angeles Basin, it sounded familiar.

From Salon ● Oct. 23, 2026

By making Monday's result non-binding, she got around a court decision blocking the pro-separation petition because it failed to consult indigenous First Nations whose land would be affected if the province separated.

From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026

Deforestation has a "massive impact on the cultural identity and on the livelihood of local and indigenous communities", he said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

Pollock—born in Wyoming, with an itinerant childhood before arriving in Los Angeles as a teenager—had been exposed to American indigenous art, Mexican muralism, Surrealism and the regionalism of Thomas Hart Benton.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026

That was the decisive factor in the British Empire’s eventual defeat of New Zealand’s well-armed indigenous Maori population.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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Related Words

• congenital
• connate
• constitutional
• essential
• fundamental
• inborn
• inherent
• inherited
• innate
• intrinsic
• natural
• unacquired

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