Word
indigenous
Phoneticsin·dige·nous
US/ˌɪnˈdɪdʒənəs/
UK/ɪndˈɪdʒənəs/
Definitions
01native people
C1 · Advanced Formal · Academic
adj. belonging to the first group of people to live in a country, especially before others arrived and took control.
adj. relating to the original inhabitants of a territory, particularly in contrast to later colonial settlers.
“The museum features art created by the indigenous people of the Amazon rainforest.”
“The government is currently reviewing legislation to better protect the land rights of indigenous communities across the northern territories.”
Usage
Often capitalized (Indigenous) when referring to specific ethnic groups or legal identities.
Synonyms
02native plants or animals
C1 · Advanced Science Technical · Academic
adj. living or growing naturally in a particular place rather than being brought there from somewhere else.
adj. originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native to a specific ecosystem.
“The park is home to many indigenous plants that can survive with very little water.”
“Biologists are concerned that the introduction of non-native trout will outcompete the indigenous species for limited food resources in the lake.”
Antonyms
03innate or inborn
C2 · Proficiency Literary · Archaic
adj. a quality or feeling that you are born with.
adj. existing within a person from birth; innate or inherent to one's nature.
“He believed that a sense of justice was indigenous to the human heart.”
“The philosopher argued that certain moral intuitions are indigenous to the mind rather than being products of social conditioning.”
Teaching tip
This sense is rare in modern speech; 'innate' or 'inherent' are much more common in contemporary English.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “indigenous” in context.
Verb
01. displace indigenous populations
“Large-scale dam projects often displace indigenous populations from their ancestral homes.”
verb + adj + noun
02. preserve indigenous culture
“The museum's mission is to preserve indigenous culture through oral history projects.”
verb + adj + noun
Adjective
03. distinctly indigenous
“The architecture of the village remains distinctly indigenous, showing no signs of colonial influence.”
adv + adj
04. indigenous to the region
“The giant panda is indigenous to the mountainous regions of central China.”
adj + prep + noun
Noun
05. indigenous flora and fauna
“The island's indigenous flora and fauna are under threat from invasive species brought by tourists.”
adj + noun
06. indigenous people
“The government is working to protect the land rights of indigenous people in the Amazon.”
adj + noun
07. rights of indigenous communities
“International law increasingly recognizes the rights of indigenous communities to self-determination.”
noun + of + noun
Real-World Examples
“Gyan Rani belongs to the Gond tribe, one of central India's oldest Indigenous communities, recognised as a Scheduled Tribe in Madhya Pradesh.” “At the end of each episode we are reminded that there are more Indigenous children in the care system than ever before.” Etymology
Borrowed from Late Latin indigenus (“native, born in a country”), from indi- (indu-), an old derivative of in (“in”), gen- the root of gignō (“give birth to”), and English -ous. Compare indigene, Ancient Greek ἐνδογενής (endogenḗs, “born in the house”), and the separately formed piecewise doublet endogenous. Unrelated to Indian.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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