Word
natal
Phoneticsna·tal
/ˈneɪtəɫ/
Definitions
01relating to birth
adj. relating to the time or place of your birth.
adj. relating to or accompanying birth; often used to describe the environment or geographical location where an organism is born.
“Sea turtles always return to their natal beach to lay their eggs.”
“The study examined the natal dispersal patterns of young wolves as they left their original packs to establish new territories.”
Formal
Usage
Commonly used in biological contexts or formal sociological discussions about one's place of origin.
02anatomical buttocks
adj. relating to the buttocks.
adj. relating to the nates or buttocks.
“The doctor checked the skin around the patient's natal cleft for signs of infection.”
“The surgeon noted a small cyst located near the natal cleft, requiring a minor procedure for removal.”
Technical · Formal
Usage
Almost exclusively found in medical or anatomical texts, particularly in the phrase 'natal cleft'.
Etymology
From Portuguese Natal (“Christmas”), because the region in South Africa was discovered by the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama on Christmas Day, 1497. Doublet of natal and Noel.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.