'native-born' originates from English, formed from 'native' and 'born'. 'native' comes from Latin 'nativus' (from 'natus', past participle of Latin 'nasci') where 'natus' meant 'born'; 'born' comes from Old English 'boren', the past participle of 'beran' meaning 'to bear'.

'native' entered English via Old French/Latin influence (from Latin 'nativus' → Old French/Anglo-Norman forms → Middle English 'native'); 'born' comes from Old English 'boren' and remained in the language as the past participle form used in compounds (e.g. 'home-born'). These elements combined in Modern English to form the compound adjective 'native-born'.

Initially, the components meant 'related to birth' ('natus' = born; 'boren' = borne/born). Over time they combined to express the idea 'born in a particular place', which is the current meaning of 'native-born'.