nonnative
Americanadjective
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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.
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of or relating to a person communicating in a nonnative language.
a nonnative speaker of English.
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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.
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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.
Etymology
Origin of nonnative
First recorded in 1850–60; non- ( def. ) + native ( def. )
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 also introduces an English language revitalized by a nonnative speaker.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
In New Zealand, nonnative mammals are thought to kill 68,000 native birds each night.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
The fish contend with dams that cut off their spawning grounds, nonnative fish such as bass that prey on them and powerful pumps that pull them into areas where they are vulnerable.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 29, 2026
"Successful detection and monitoring programs for invasive wildlife hinge on rapid detection and accurate identification of nonnative species," said Miller.
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
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
