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
Startups led by non-native English speakers bring fresh perspectives, enriching innovation in ways U.S.-born entrepreneurs may not envision.
—Gyehyon Andrea Jo, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Gill nets, native fishers, and commercial boats In Washington state, Native tribes opposed a 2023 gill-net ban proposal that would have negatively impacted several hundred non-native commercial fishers.
—Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Dec. 2024
The urban park is also a 5.4-acre green space, its sustainable landscaping creating a home for 37 native and non-native plant species and 247 trees.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American-Statesman, 13 Dec. 2024
The maps found rivers, estuaries and other waterways that had non-native species, and looked at where those waterways mingled with pristine areas because of flooding from storm surge, high tides and inland flooding.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 11 Dec. 2024
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Gyehyon Andrea Jo, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Gill nets, native fishers, and commercial boats In Washington state, Native tribes opposed a 2023 gill-net ban proposal that would have negatively impacted several hundred non-native commercial fishers.
—Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Dec. 2024
The urban park is also a 5.4-acre green space, its sustainable landscaping creating a home for 37 native and non-native plant species and 247 trees.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American-Statesman, 13 Dec. 2024
The maps found rivers, estuaries and other waterways that had non-native species, and looked at where those waterways mingled with pristine areas because of flooding from storm surge, high tides and inland flooding.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 11 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for non-native
Dictionary Entries Near non-native
Cite this Entry
“Non-native.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/non-native. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.
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