native language
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of native language
First recorded in 1425–75 as natife langage
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.
The tiny nation's native language is "Dorerin Naoero", which is spoken by the vast majority of its approximately 10,000 inhabitants.
From Barron's • May 13, 2026
“You hear RM say in the songwriting session, ‘This is not my native language.’
From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026
Because we use our native language daily over decades, these patterns become deeply embedded, making communication smoother and less demanding.
From Science Daily • Feb. 20, 2026
On the 11-track album, Amarante sings both in his native language Portuguese and in English.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 9, 2025
In fact, he had trouble speaking his native language.
From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple
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.
