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

one's native land.

belonging to a person by birth or to a thing by nature; inherent

native ability; native grace.

belonging by birth to a people regarded as indigenous to a certain place, esp. a preliterate people

Native guides accompanied the expedition through the rain forest.

of indigenous origin, growth, or production

native pottery.

of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the indigenous inhabitants of a place or country

native customs; native dress.

born in a particular place or country

a native New Yorker.

of or pertaining to a language acquired by a person before or to the exclusion of any other language

Her native language is Greek.

pertaining to or characteristic of a person using his or her native language

a native speaker of English; native command of a language.

under the rule of natives

a native government.

occupied by natives

the native quarter of Algiers.

remaining or growing in a natural state; unadorned or unchanged

the native beauty of a desert island.

forming the source or origin of a person or thing

He returned to his native Kansas.

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

found in nature rather than produced artificially, as a mineral substance

the difference between native and industrial diamonds.

Chemistry, Mineralogy . (of metals) occurring in nature pure or uncombined

native copper.

belonging to a person as a birthright

to deprive a person of his native rights.

Computers .

designed for use with a specific type of computer

writing native applications for 32-bit PCs.

internal to a specific application program

to view the file in its native format.

Archaic . closely related, as by birth.

one of the people indigenous to a place or country, esp. as distinguished from strangers, foreigners, colonizers, etc.

the natives of Chile.

a person born in a particular place or country

a native of Ohio.

an organism indigenous to a particular region.

British . an oyster reared in British waters, esp. in an artificial bed.

Astrology . a person born under a particular planet. ?

go native, Informal . to adopt or affect the manners or way of life of a place or environment that is different from one's own

esp. a less developed country

After living on the island for a year, we went native and began to wear the local costume.

adjective

alien , foreign , outside , acquired , artificial , assumed , exotic , unnatural

noun

alien , foreigner , immigrant , stranger

adjective

built-in , congenital , connate , connatural , constitutional , endemic , essential , fundamental , genuine , hereditary , implanted , inborn , inbred , indigenous , ingrained , inherited , instinctive , intrinsic , inveterate , inwrought , natal , natural , original , real , unacquired , wild , aboriginal , autochthonous , belonging , from , homegrown , homemade , inland , internal , local , municipal , national , primary , primeval , primitive , regional , related , vernacular , elemental , indwelling , inherent , innate , home , autochthonal , autochthonic , rough , uncultivated , undomesticated , untamed , raw , unprocessed , unrefined , demotic , domestic , edaphic , enchorial , mother

noun

aboriginal , aborigine , ancient , autochthon , citizen , dweller , home towner , indigene , inhabitant , local , national , aboriginality , autochthonous , congenital , constitutional , denizen (by birth) , domestic , endemic , endemicity , endemism , inborn , inbred , ingrained , inherent , innate , natal , natural , original , regional , resident , vernacular , wold