non-native
adjective
non-na·tive
ˌnän-ˈnā-tiv 
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
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
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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Non-native.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/non-native. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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