native
Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
native/ˈneɪtɪv/
▶noun
- 1 a person born in a specified place or associated with a place by birth.
■ a local inhabitant.
- 2 an animal or plant indigenous to a place.
- 3 dated, often offensive a non-white original inhabitant of a country as regarded by European colonists or travellers.
- 1 associated with the place or circumstances of a person's birth.
■ of the indigenous inhabitants of a place.
- 2 (of a plant or animal) of indigenous origin or growth.
- 3 innate; in a person's character: native wit.
- 4 (of a metal or other mineral) found in a pure or uncombined state.
– phrases
go native derogatory (of a person living abroad) adopt the way of life of the country one is living in.
go native derogatory (of a person living abroad) adopt the way of life of the country one is living in.
– derivatives
natively adverb,
nativeness noun.
natively adverb,
nativeness noun.
– origin ME: from L. nativus, from nat-, nasci ‘be born’.
usage: In contexts such as a native of Boston or New York was too hot even for the natives, the use of the noun native is quite acceptable. When used to refer to non-white original inhabitants of a country, however, it has an old-fashioned feel and may cause offence.
'native' also found in these Oxford entries:
Aberdonian
- Abyssinian
- Acadian
- addax
- adjigo
- adventitious
- Afghan
- agave
- agouti
- ailanthus
- Alabaman
- Alaskan
- Albanian
- alfalfa
- Algerian
- alligator
- alligator lizard
- alpine
- Alsatian
- American
- American Indian
- anaconda
- Anatolian
- Andalusian
- Andean
- Andorran
- Angeleno
- Angevin
- Anglosphere
- Angolan
- Anguillan
- anoa
- Antiguan
- Arabian
- arabica
- arapaima
- Arawak
- Arcadian
- archerfish
- Argentinian
- Arizonan
- Arkansan
- armadillo
- Armenian
- Asian
- aspidistra
- Assamese
- asylee
- asylum
- Athenian

