Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia. Being such native bannock birth or origin: a native Scot. Being a member of the original inhabitants of a particular place. Being one’s own because of the place or circumstances of one’s birth: our native land.

Occurring in nature pure or uncombined with other substances: native copper. Natural, unaltered, or unadorned: native beauty. Biochemistry Of or relating to the naturally occurring conformation of a macromolecule, such as a protein. Archaic Closely related, as by birth or race. One born in or connected with a place by birth: a native of Scotland now living in the United States.

One of the original inhabitants or lifelong residents of a place. An animal or plant that originated in a particular place or region. These adjectives mean of, belonging to, or connected with a specific place or country by virtue of birth or origin. Ainu, a people indigenous to the northernmost islands of Japan. As is often the case with words that categorize people, the use of the noun is more problematic than the use of the corresponding adjective. Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.

2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Usage: Because of its potentially offensive and colonial overtones, native as a noun without qualification is best avoided. Definition 19 is sometimes taken to be offensive because of colonialist and racial overtones. However, definition 20 is a neutral usage.

Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. It was many years since she had lived in her native country. French is not my native tongue. Several native plants also provide edible berries. Her conversation revealed no education but much native wit and shrewdness.