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Native for Dummies

adjective

pronunciation: 'neɪtɪv

What does Native really mean?

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Hey there! Let's talk about the word "Native." I'm going to explain it to you in the simplest way possible, so you can really understand it. Are you ready? Here we go!

So, what does "Native" mean? Well, it means something or someone that belongs to a particular place or was born in that place. Imagine a little bird building its nest in a tree. That tree is its home, where it was born and raised. That little bird is a "native" of that tree because it naturally belongs there.

Now, "Native" can have a few different meanings depending on the context. Let me explain them to you as well.

First meaning:

If we talk about a person being native to a place, it means that person was born there. For example, if someone is native to New York City, it means they were born and raised in New York City. It's their hometown, and they have a special connection to that place just like the little bird has to its tree.

Second meaning:

Now, if we talk about something being native to a place, it means that thing originally comes from or naturally exists in that place. Let's think about plants for a moment. You know how there are different types of flowers and trees all around the world? Well, each of those plants is native to a particular region. For example, the cherry blossom tree is native to Japan. That means it naturally grows and thrives in Japan, just like the bird that loves its tree.

Third meaning:

Okay, here comes the third meaning of "Native." Sometimes, we use this word to describe a language. When we say a language is native to someone, it means that it is their first language, the one they learn from birth. For instance, if English is your native language, it means it's the first language you learned as a baby, just like the bird learns the song of its parents.

So, we've talked about the different meanings of "Native." It can refer to a person being born in a place, something naturally belonging to a place, or a language someone learns from birth. Did that make sense to you? I hope my explanations helped you understand this word a little better. Feel free to ask if you have any more questions! You're doing great!


Revised and Fact checked by David Williams on 2023-10-29 11:36:05

Native In a sentece

Learn how to use Native inside a sentece

  • A person who was born in Mexico and speaks Spanish as their first language is called a Native Spanish speaker.
  • A bird that lives and grows naturally in the Amazon rainforest is called a Native Amazonian bird.
  • A type of fruit that is originally from Hawaii and is grown there is called a Native Hawaiian fruit.
  • A plant that naturally grows and thrives in the desert without needing much water is called a Native desert plant.
  • A type of music that is traditionally played and enjoyed by the people of Jamaica is called Native Jamaican music.

Native Synonyms

Words that can be interchanged for the original word in the same context.

aboriginal aboriginal aboriginal aboriginal aborigine aborigine indigen indigen indigene indigene

Native Antonyms

Words that have the opposite context of the original word.

adopted adopted foreign foreign nonnative nonnative

Native Hypernyms

Words that are more generic than the original word.

being being individual individual individual individual mortal mortal mortal mortal organism organism person person person person somebody somebody somebody somebody someone someone someone someone soul soul soul soul

Native Hyponyms

Words that are more specific than the original word.

filipino filipino levantine levantine mauritian mauritian russian russian seychellois seychellois

Native Similar Words

Words that similar to the original word, but are not synonyms.

autochthonal autochthonal autochthonic autochthonic autochthonous autochthonous connatural connatural domestic domestic endemic endemic homegrown homegrown inborn inborn inbred inbred indigenous indigenous native-born native-born pure pure