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Definition of native adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

native

adjective
 
 
/ˈneɪtɪv/
 
/ˈneɪtɪv/
Idioms
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  1.  
     [only before noun] connected with the place where you were born and lived for the first years of your life
    • your native land/country/city
    • Her native language is Korean.
    • It is a long time since he has visited his native Chile.
    see also native speaker
    Extra Examples
    • His work is barely known in his native country of Sweden.
    • I returned to my native city last year to find it little changed since my childhood.
  2.  
     [only before noun] connected with the place where you have always lived or have lived for a long time
    • native Berliners
  3. [only before noun] (sometimes offensive) connected with the people who originally lived in a country before other people came there synonym indigenous (1)
    • The native peoples depend on the forest for their livelihoods.
    • The island's native population began disappearing due to exposure to diseases.
    • The festival is a celebration of native art and culture.
    Many people prefer to use the word indigenous.
  4. (of animals and plants) existing naturally in a place synonym indigenous (2)
    • the native plants of America
    • native species
    • native to… The tiger is native to India.
    • Some animals are in danger because their native habitat is being destroyed.
    see also non-native
    Extra Examples
    • Starlings do serious damage to native bird populations.
    • Introduced species are often a threat to native plants.
    • There are about 17 hedgehog species native to Europe, Asia and Africa.
  5. [only before noun] that you have naturally without having to learn it synonym innate
    • native cunning
    • He had to rely on his native wit.
  6. (of a metal or another mineral) found in a pure state
    • native gold/silver/copper
    • Native copper was probably the first metal to be made into tools and weapons.
  7. (computing) designed for or built into a particular system, especially using the language or computer code associated with a particular computer or processor
    • Native apps still generally perform better than web apps, but the gap is shrinking.
    • Early programmers worked in native computer code or machine language.
    8. Word Originlate Middle English: from Latin nativus, from nat- ‘born’, from the verb nasci.
Idioms
go native
  1. (often humorous) (of a person staying in another country) to try to live and behave like the local people
    • You will be able to meet local people, eat local food and ‘go native’.
See native in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee native in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: native

Nearby words

given
adjective
 
 
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