non-natives
|non-na-tive|
🇺🇸
/ˌnɑnˈneɪtɪvz/
🇬🇧
/ˌnɒnˈneɪtɪvz/
(non-native)
not originally from
Etymology
'non-native' is a compound formed from the prefix 'non-' + 'native'. 'non-' comes from Latin 'non' meaning 'not', and 'native' comes from Latin 'nativus' (from 'nasci') meaning 'born'.
'native' entered English via Latin 'nativus' (and Old French forms) into Middle English as 'native', carrying senses related to birth and origin; the modern compound 'non-native' was formed later by prefixing 'non-' to express negation of that origin.
Originally 'native' meant 'of birth' or 'innate' and later 'belonging to a place by birth'; 'non-native' developed to mean 'not originally from (a place or culture)', applied to people, languages, and species.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'non-native': people or organisms that are not native to a particular place, region, or language community.
The orientation welcomed non-natives studying at the university this semester.
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Adjective 1
describing something or someone not native to a place or environment (e.g., non-native species, a language learned later).
The garden was invaded by non-natives that outcompeted the local plants.
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Last updated: 2025/08/14 06:00