native

/'neitiv/

Friendly

The word "native" can be understood in a few different ways, and it is both an adjective and a noun.

Definition:

1. As an Adjective:

   • Natural Form: It refers to something that is found in nature in its original state, such as "native copper," which is a type of copper that is not mixed with other elements.
   • Relating to People: It describes people or cultures that have lived in a region from the beginning, like "Native Americans," who are the original inhabitants of the United States.
   • By Birth: It refers to someone’s birthplace or where they are originally from, like "my native land" or "my native language."
   • Geographic Origin: It can describe something that is characteristic of a specific geographic area, such as "native North American sugar maple," which is a type of tree that grows naturally in North America.

2. As a Noun:

   • It can refer to an indigenous person from a specific place, such as "He is a native of Brazil," meaning he was born in Brazil.
   • It can also refer to the original plants and animals in a region, like "the art of the natives of the northwest coast," which indicates the original culture and artistic expression of that area.

Example Sentences:

• Adjective: "The native birds of this area are very colorful."
• Noun: "She is a native of Japan and speaks Japanese fluently."

Advanced Usage:

• In a more advanced context, "native" can also refer to someone who has a deep understanding of a language or culture because they grew up in it. For example, "She is a native speaker of Spanish," meaning she learned Spanish as her first language.

Word Variants:

• Nativism (noun): The idea that native people should be favored over immigrants.
• Nativist (noun/adjective): A person who supports the interests of native inhabitants.

Different Meanings:

• "Native" can refer not just to people, but also to animals and plants that are originally from a specific area. For example, "native wildlife" refers to animals that live in their natural habitat without human introduction.

Synonyms:

• Indigenous
• Local
• Original
• Aboriginal
• Homegrown

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

While "native" doesn’t have specific idioms or phrasal verbs, you might encounter phrases like: - "Native to" when talking about something that originates from a specific place. For example, "This plant is native to Africa."

Summary:

The word "native" is versatile and can be used to describe people, languages, plants, and animals that originate from a specific place or are in their natural, unaltered state.

Academic

Adjective

1. as found in nature in the elemental form
   • native copper
2. characteristic of or relating to people inhabiting a region from the beginning
   • native Americans
   • the aboriginal peoples of Australia
3. belonging to one by birth
   • my native land
   • one's native language
4. characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin
   • the native North American sugar maple
   • many native artists studied abroad

Noun

1. indigenous plants and animals
2. a person born in a particular place or country
   • he is a native of Brazil
3. an indigenous person who was born in a particular place
   • the art of the natives of the northwest coast
   • the Canadian government scrapped plans to tax the grants to aboriginal college students

Synonyms

• aboriginal
• indigen
• indigene
• aborigine