natal
adjective
of or relating to a person's birth.
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natal
1 American
[neyt-l]
/ ˈneɪt l /
adjective
-
of or relating to a person's birth.
celebrating one's natal day.
-
presiding over or affecting a person at birth.
natal influences.
-
(of places) native.
nostalgia for one's natal town.
Natal
2
American
[nuh-tal, -tahl, nuh-tawl]
/ nəˈtæl, -ˈtɑl, nəˈtɔl /
noun
-
a province in the E part of the Republic of South Africa. 35,284 sq. mi. (91,886 sq. km). Pietermaritzburg.
-
a seaport in E Brazil.
Natal
1
British
noun
-
a former province of E South Africa, between the Drakensberg and the Indian Ocean: set up as a republic by the Boers in 1838; became a British colony in 1843; joined South Africa in 1910; replaced by KwaZulu-Natal in 1994. Capital: Pietermaritzburg
-
a port in NE Brazil, capital of Rio Grande do Norte state, near the mouth of the Potengi River. Pop: 1 049 000 (2005 est)
natal
2
British
/ ˈneɪtəl /
adjective
-
of or relating to birth
-
a rare word for native
natal instincts
natal
3
British
/ ˈneɪtəl /
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of natal
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin nātālis “of or relating to birth,” from nāt(us) “an offspring” (variant of gnātus “born,” past participle of nāscī “to be born”) + -ālis -al 1; cf. nascent ( def. )
Explanation
Use the adjective natal to describe something that has to do with birth, like an adopted child's natal family, or birth parents. The word natal shows up a lot when doctors talk about birth and pregnancy, especially in "prenatal," which describes what happens before a baby is born. You can also use natal for things that occur at the same time as a birth, like the position of the stars on that day or the town in which a child is born — her natal city. In the fourteenth century, natal meant "pertaining to birthdays," from the Latin word natus, "to be born."
Vocabulary lists containing natal
"Bonne Annee," Vocabulary from the personal essay
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Top 50 Wordle Words of 2022
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"Bonne Année" by Jean-Pierre Benoît
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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.
"It's the males that set up the territories so, over time, we tricked them that this was their natal site."
From BBC • May 2, 2026
Despite his injury, his natal pack welcomes him back, ensuring he eats his share and keeps up on hunts.
From BBC • Nov. 3, 2025
I’ve seen him reference his natal chart in interviews before, so in anticipation of our meeting — and knowing the museum exhibition might pique his interest — I research my own.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 17, 2024
A natal kick will normally give neutron stars a measurable speed of 100-1000 km per second.
From Science Daily • May 21, 2024
Like other species of salmon, the Coho has a strong homing instinct, returning to its natal stream.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
