Word Study
native
CIDE DICTIONARY
- Arising by birth; having an origin; born. [1913 Webster]"Anaximander's opinion is, that the gods are native, rising and vanishing again in long periods of times." [1913 Webster]
- Of or pertaining to one's birth; natal; belonging to the place or the circumstances in which one is born; -- opposed to
foreign ; as, native land, language, color, etc. [1913 Webster] - Born in the region in which one lives; as, a native inhabitant, race; grown or originating in the region where used or sold; not foreign or
imported ; as, native oysters, or strawberries. In the latter sense, synonymous withdomestic . [1913 Webster] - Original; constituting the original substance of anything; as, native dust. Milton. [1913 Webster]
- Conferred by birth; derived from origin; born with one; inherent; inborn; not acquired; as, native genius, cheerfulness, wit, simplicity, rights, intelligence, etc. Having the same meaning as
congenital , but typically used for positive qualities, whereascongenital may be used for negative qualities. See also congenital [1913 Webster]"Courage is native to you." [1913 Webster] - Naturally related; cognate; connected (with). [1913 Webster]"the head is not more native to the heart, . . .
Than is the throne of Denmark to thy father." [1913 Webster] - Found in nature uncombined with other elements; as, native silver, copper, gold. [1913 Webster]
Syn. -- Natural; natal; original; congenital.
native, n.
- One who, or that which, is born in a place or country referred to; a denizen by birth; an animal, a fruit, or vegetable, produced in a certain region; as, a native of France; the natives are restless. [1913 Webster]
- Any of the live stock found in a region, as distinguished from such as belong to pure and distinct imported breeds. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
native, n. & adj.
--n.
1 a (usu. foll. by of) a person born in a specified place, or whose parents are domiciled in that place at the time of the birth (a native of Bristol). b a local inhabitant.
2 often offens. a a member of a non-White indigenous people, as regarded by the colonial settlers. b S.Afr. a Black person.
3 (usu. foll. by of) an indigenous animal or plant.
4 an oyster reared in British waters, esp. in artificial beds (a Whitstable native).
5 Austral. a White person born in Australia.
--adj.
1 (usu. foll. by to) belonging to a person or thing by nature; inherent; innate (spoke with the facility native to him).
2 of one's birth or birthplace (native dress; native country).
3 belonging to one by right of birth.
4 (usu. foll. by to) belonging to a specified place (the anteater is native to S. America).
5 a (esp. of a non-European) indigenous; born in a place. b of the natives of a place (native customs).
6 unadorned; simple; artless.
7 Geol. (of metal etc.) found in a pure or uncombined state.
8 Austral. & NZ resembling an animal or plant familiar elsewhere (native rabbit).
--n.
1 a (usu. foll. by of) a person born in a specified place, or whose parents are domiciled in that place at the time of the birth (a native of Bristol). b a local inhabitant.
2 often offens. a a member of a non-White indigenous people, as regarded by the colonial settlers. b S.Afr. a Black person.
3 (usu. foll. by of) an indigenous animal or plant.
4 an oyster reared in British waters, esp. in artificial beds (a Whitstable native).
5 Austral. a White person born in Australia.
--adj.
1 (usu. foll. by to) belonging to a person or thing by nature; inherent; innate (spoke with the facility native to him).
2 of one's birth or birthplace (native dress; native country).
3 belonging to one by right of birth.
4 (usu. foll. by to) belonging to a specified place (the anteater is native to S. America).
5 a (esp. of a non-European) indigenous; born in a place. b of the natives of a place (native customs).
6 unadorned; simple; artless.
7 Geol. (of metal etc.) found in a pure or uncombined state.
8 Austral. & NZ resembling an animal or plant familiar elsewhere (native rabbit).
Idiom
go native (of a settler) adopt the local way of life, esp. in a non-European country. native bear Austral. & NZ = KOALA. native rock rock in its original place.
Derivative
natively adv. nativeness n.
Etymology
ME (earlier as adj.) f. OF natif -ive or L nativus f. nasci nat- be born
THESAURUS
native
aboriginal, aborigine, agrarian, arcadian, artless, atavistic, autochthon, autochthonous, basic, best, bodily, born, bucolic, by birth, candid, citizen, clan, coeval, congenital, connatal, connate, connatural, constitutional, crude, direct, domestic, earliest inhabitant, endemic, ethnic, exclusive, first, first comer, genetic, genuine, hereditary, home, homebred, homegrown, homespun, honest, impure, in the blood, in the raw, inartificial, inborn, inbred, incarnate, indigene, indigenous, indwelling, inhabitant, inherent, inherited, inland, innate, instinctive, instinctual, internal, intestine, intrinsic, local, local yokel, municipal, natal, national, native to, native-born, natural, natural to, naturelike, organic, original, pastoral, physical, primal, primitive, primitive settler, pristine, provincial, raw, resident, run-of-mine, rural, straightforward, temperamental, tribal, unacquired, unadorned, unaffected, unartificial, unassuming, uncultivated, undesigning, undisguising, undissembling, undissimulating, undomesticated, unembellished, unfeigning, ungraded, unpretending, unpretentious, unsorted, unspoiled, unsullied, untouched, unvarnished, vernacular, virgin, virginalROGET THESAURUS
native
Artlessness
N artlessness, nature, simplicity, innocence, bonhomie, naivete, abandon, candor, sincerity, singleness of purpose, singleness of heart, honesty, plain speaking, epanchement, rough diamond, matter of fact man, le palais de verite, enfant terrible, artless, natural, pure, native, confiding, simple, lain, inartificial, untutored, unsophisticated, ingenu, unaffected, naive, sincere, frank, open, open as day, candid, ingenuous, guileless, unsuspicious, honest, innocent, Arcadian, undesigning, straightforward, unreserved, aboveboard, simple-minded, single-minded, frank-hearted, open-hearted, single-hearted, simple-hearted, free-spoken, plain-spoken, outspoken, blunt, downright, direct, matter of fact, unpoetical, unflattering, in plain words, in plain English, without mincing the matter, not to mince the matter, Davus sum non Oedipus, liberavi animam meam, as frank as rain on cherry blossoms.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, 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 "native" in Webster Dictionary Online