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native

adj. · n.
US //ˈneɪtɪv// UK //nˈeɪtɪv// na·tive
  1. 1 place of birth (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    describing the place where you were born and grew up.

    relating to the place or circumstances of one's birth.

    Example

    After twenty years in London, she finally returned to her native village in Scotland.

    Example

    Despite living abroad for decades, he never lost the distinctive accent of his native city, which remained a core part of his identity.
  2. 2 biology/nature (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Science

    describing plants or animals that live naturally in a place, rather than being brought there by people.

    originating or occurring naturally in a particular country or region; not introduced or invasive.

    Example

    The park is full of native trees that provide food for local birds.

    Example

    Conservationists are working to remove invasive vines that threaten to smother the native flora of the river valley.
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  1. 3 computing (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    describing software designed to run on a specific type of computer or system.

    designed for or built into a specific system or architecture, rather than running through an emulator or third-party layer.

    Example

    The app runs much faster now that it has a native version for this tablet.

    Example

    The developer recommended using native code to ensure the application could fully exploit the hardware's processing power without latency.
  2. 4 a local person (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    someone who was born in a particular place.

    a person born in a specified place or associated with a place by birth.

    Example

    As a native of New York, he knew all the best places to eat that tourists never found.

    Example

    The festival is a point of pride for the natives of the island, who spend months preparing the traditional costumes.
  3. 5 native speaker (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    someone who has spoken a particular language since they were a baby.

    a person who has spoken a specified language from earliest childhood.

    Example

    If you have a question about a difficult phrase, ask a native.

    Example

    The language school employs several natives to ensure students are exposed to natural intonation and contemporary slang.
    • first language speaker
  4. 6 indigenous person (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    a member of the original group of people living in a country before others arrived.

    a member of the original inhabitants of a region, especially in a colonial context.

    Example

    The museum exhibition was designed in collaboration with the local Natives.

    Example

    The treaty sought to protect the land rights of the natives against further encroachment by industrial interests.

    Usage

    Often capitalized (Native) when referring to specific groups in North America or Australia.

    Teacher's tip

    In many modern contexts, using 'native' as a noun for a person can be seen as offensive or patronizing due to colonial history; 'indigenous person' or specific group names are often preferred.
Origin

Inherited from Middle English natif, from Old French natif, from Latin nātīvus, from nātus (“birth”). Doublet of naive and neif.

Idioms2 entries

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