Word Study
indigenous
CIDE DICTIONARY
indigenous, a. [L. indigenus, indigena, fr. OL. indu (fr. in in) + the root of L. gignere to beget, bear. See In, and Gender.].
- Native; produced, growing, or living, naturally in a country or climate; not exotic; not imported. [1913 Webster]"Negroes were all transported from Africa and are not indigenous or proper natives of America." [1913 Webster]"In America, cotton, being indigenous, is cheap." [1913 Webster]
- Native; inherent; innate. [1913 Webster]"Joy and hope are emotions indigenous to the human mind." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
indigenous, adj.
1 a (esp. of flora or fauna) originating naturally in a region. b (of people) born in a region.
2 (foll. by to) belonging naturally to a place.
1 a (esp. of flora or fauna) originating naturally in a region. b (of people) born in a region.
2 (foll. by to) belonging naturally to a place.
Derivative
indigenously adv. indigenousness n.
Etymology
L indigena f. indi- = IN-(2) + gen- be born
THESAURUS
indigenous
aboriginal, atavistic, autochthonous, bodily, born, coeval, congenital, connatal, connate, connatural, constitutional, endemic, genetic, hereditary, homebred, homegrown, in the blood, inborn, inbred, incarnate, inherent, inherited, innate, instinctive, instinctual, local, natal, native, native to, native-born, natural, natural to, organic, original, physical, primal, primitive, temperamental, unacquired, vernacularROGET THESAURUS
indigenous
Intrinsicality
N intrinsicality, inbeing, inherence, inhesion, subjectiveness, ego, egohood, essence, noumenon, essentialness, essential part, quintessence, incarnation, quiddity, gist, pith, marrow, core, sap, lifeblood, backbone, heart, soul, important part, principle, nature, constitution, character, type, quality, crasis, diathesis, habit, temper, temperament, spirit, humor, grain, disposition, endowment, capacity, capability, moods, declensions, features, aspects, peculiarities, idiosyncrasy, oddity, idiocrasy, diagnostics, derived from within, subjective, intrinsic, intrinsical, fundamental, normal, implanted, inherent, essential, natural, innate, inborn, inbred, ingrained, inwrought, coeval with birth, genetous, haematobious, syngenic, radical, incarnate, thoroughbred, hereditary, inherited, immanent, congenital, congenite, connate, running in the blood, ingenerate, ingenite, indigenous, in the grain, bred in the bone, instinctive, inward, internal, to the manner born, virtual, characteristic, invariable, incurable, incorrigible, ineradicable, fixed, intrinsically, at bottom, in the main, in effect, practically, virtually, substantially, au fond, fairly, character is higher than intellect, come give us a taste of your quality, magnos homines virtute metimur non fortuna, non numero haec judicantur sed pondere, vital spark of heavenly flame.Inhabitant
N inhabitant, resident, residentiary, dweller, indweller, addressee, occupier, occupant, householder, lodger, inmate, tenant, incumbent, sojourner, locum tenens, commorant, settler, squatter, backwoodsman, colonist, islander, denizen, citizen, burgher, oppidan, cockney, cit, townsman, burgess, villager, cottager, cottier, cotter, compatriot, backsettler, boarder, hotel keeper, innkeeper, habitant, paying guest, planter, native, indigene, aborigines, autochthones, Englishman, John Bull, newcomer, aboriginal, American, Caledonian, Cambrian, Canadian, Canuck, downeaster, Scot, Scotchman, Hibernian, Irishman, Welshman, Uncle Sam, Yankee, Brother Jonathan, garrison, crew, population, people, colony, settlement, household, mir, indigenous, native, natal, autochthonal, autochthonous, British, English, American, Canadian, Irish, Scotch, Scottish, Welsh, domestic, domiciliated, domiciled, naturalized, vernacular, domesticated, domiciliary, in the occupation of, garrisoned by, occupied by.For further exploring for "indigenous" in Webster Dictionary Online