Word
indigenous person
Definition
compound. a person whose ancestors were the first people to live in a particular country or region before others arrived.
compound. a member of the original inhabitants of a region, typically in contrast to later colonial settlers or immigrants. The term is often used in legal and human rights contexts to recognize specific cultural and historical ties to a land.
Examples
“The museum features art made by an indigenous person from this valley.”
“The conference invited an indigenous person from each tribe to speak about their community's water rights.”
“International law increasingly recognizes the right of an indigenous person to maintain their traditional language and ancestral customs within a modern state.”
Examples
simple
“The museum features art made by an indigenous person from this valley.”
contextual
“The conference invited an indigenous person from each tribe to speak about their community's water rights.”
complex
“International law increasingly recognizes the right of an indigenous person to maintain their traditional language and ancestral customs within a modern state.”
Usage
Capitalize 'Indigenous' when referring to specific groups or as a mark of respect in formal writing.
Teaching tip
Contrast with 'native' (which can be ambiguous) and 'aboriginal' (often specific to Australia); 'Indigenous' is currently the preferred international term in academic and official settings.
Pitfall
He is an indigenous.
He is an indigenous person.
'Indigenous' is an adjective and requires a noun like 'person', 'people', or 'inhabitant' to follow it.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/indigenous-person