natural-born

[nach-er-uhl-bawrn, nach-ruhl-]

adjective

1. native-born.

2. by virtue of one's nature, qualities, or innate talent.

   a natural-born musician.

natural-born

adjective

1. being as specified through one's birth

   a natural-born Irishman

Word History and Origins

Origin of natural-born¹

First recorded in 1575–85

Example Sentences

Given the administration’s fondness for enemies lists, it would be easy to isolate all political opponents who are not natural-born citizens, gather their immigration file, identify the inevitable omission or falsehood in their paperwork, and initiate deportation/denaturalization proceedings against them.

From Slate

“Some people just have a natural-born ability to make dialogue that’s written seem like it’s said for the first time and they are just living that moment,” he says, adding, “She’s someone who prepares so much. I’ve seen her scripts, filled with notes. She’s always working on lines, thinking about the character.”

From Los Angeles Times

I am a white, natural-born citizen.

From Salon

Again, O’Donnell was born in New York, making her a natural-born citizen.

From Salon

Pierre Schoeman tells a story from his youth in South Africa, a natural-born raconteur in adulthood speaking of the adventurous spirit of his 13-year-old self.

From BBC