non-native

adjective

non-na·​tive ˌnän-ˈnā-tiv How to pronounce non-native (audio)
variants or nonnative
: not native: such as
a
of a plant or animal : living or growing in a place that is not the location of its natural occurrence
a non-native fish species
… overgrazing causes grasslands to give way to sagebrush, mesquite and non-native exotic grasses, environmentalists contend.Doug McInnis
b
: not born or raised in the place where a particular language is spoken
non-native inhabitants
a nonnative speaker of English [=a person who speaks English but whose native language is not English]
non-native noun
or nonnative
plural non-natives or nonnatives
popular among both natives and non-natives

Examples of non-native in a Sentence

nonnative customs that made the recent immigrants stand out in their new country
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As time passed, sediment and debris began to build up as overgrown non-native plants greatly decreased the amount of water that could flow through the channel, causing water to disperse into nearby neighborhoods for more than 20 years. Sierra Lopez, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2025 Those efforts include removing dead plants, non-native invasive plant species, pruning remaining plants and disposing of the debris. Tyler Faurot, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2025 Prescribed burns also reduce the abundance of non-native brush, such as buckthorn and honeysuckle. Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2025 Participants will learn to identify non-native and invasive species and remove them, with a focus on Caesar’s weed. Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for non-native

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of non-native was in 1845

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Non-native.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/non-native. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!