na•tive^*ˈneɪ tɪv(adj.)

1. being the place or environment in which a person was born or a thing came into being:

   one's native land.

2. belonging to a person by birth or to a thing by nature; inherent:

   native ability.

3. belonging to or originating in a certain place; indigenous:

   native dress.

   Category: Physical Anthropology

4. born in a particular place:

   a native Chicagoan.

   Category: Common Vocabulary

5. of or pertaining to something first acquired by a person:

   one's native language.

   Category: Peoples, Language/Linguistics

6. remaining or growing in a natural state:

   the desert's native beauty.

7. originating naturally in a particular country or region, as animals or plants.

8. (of metals) occurring in nature pure or uncombined.

9. Computers. designed for use with a specific type of computer: internal to a specific application program:

   writing native applications for 32-bit PCs.

   to view the file in its native format.

   Category: Computers

10. Archaic. closely related, as by birth.

11. (n.)Sometimes Offensive.one of the people indigenous to a place, esp. as distinguished from foreigners, colonizers, etc.:

    the natives of Chile.

    Category:

12. a person born in a particular place or country:

    a native of Ohio.

13. an animal, plant, etc., that is indigenous to a particular region.

    Category: Biology

Idioms for native:

1. go native, to imitate the behavior of a surrounding culture, esp. behavior that seems simple or natural.

   Category: Idiom

^* Usage: Definition 19 is sometimes taken to be offensive because of colonialist and racial overtones. However, definition 20 is a neutral usage.

Origin of native:

1325–75; < MF < L nātīvus inborn, natural, from nāt(us) (ptp. of nāscī to be born)

na′tive•ness(n.)