indigenous

adjective

in·dig·e·nous in-ˈdi-jə-nəs

Synonyms of indigenous next

: produced, growing, living, or occurring natively or naturally in a particular region or environment

indigenous plants

the indigenous culture

Indigenous or less commonly indigenous : of or relating to the earliest known inhabitants of a place and especially of a place that was colonized by a now-dominant group

Indigenous peoples

: innate, inborn

indigenously adverb

indigenousness noun

Did you know?

Indigenous derives from the Latin noun indigena (meaning "native"), which was formed by combining Old Latin indu (meaning "in" or "within") with the verb gignere (meaning "to beget"). Another term that comes from the indigena root is indigene, a word for a plant or animal that lives, grows, or originates in a certain area. Indigene is the older of the two; it has been used in English since the late 16th century, whereas the earliest documented use of indigenous occurred nearly 50 years later. Indigenous is used in scientific contexts to describe organisms and the habitats to which they belong, and in expressly non-scientific contexts, as in "emotions indigenous to the human spirit." Most often, however, it's used to describe the native inhabitants of a place.

Choose the Right Synonym for indigenous

native, indigenous, endemic, aboriginal mean belonging to a locality.

native implies birth or origin in a place or region and may suggest compatibility with it.

native tribal customs

indigenous applies to that which is not only native but which, as far as can be determined, has never been introduced or brought from elsewhere.

indigenous plants

endemic implies being peculiar to a region.

a disease endemic in Africa

aboriginal implies having no known others preceding in occupancy of a particular region.

the aboriginal peoples of Australia

Examples of indigenous in a Sentence

Viking invaders quickly subdued the indigenous population, known as the Picts. — BERJAYA

Jared M. Diamond, Collapse, 2005

Unlike France, Italy relies on dozens of indigenous regional grape varieties for its prodigious range of wines. — BERJAYA

Gerald Asher, Gourmet, September 2002

Though Gilded Age architecture was not indigenous to America, at least it was borrowed from belle epoque Europe, from which much of America's late-nineteenth-century culture evolved. — BERJAYA

Robert D. Kaplan, An Empire Wilderness, 1988

There are several indigenous groups that still live in the area. the culture of the indigenous people of that country

Recent Examples on the Web But researchers have spotted signs that caimans might crowd out American alligators and American crocodiles, while preying on vulnerable indigenous species. — BERJAYA

Freda Kreier, New York Times, 24 Oct. 2023 On Saturday, Australians defeated a ballot initiative that would have changed the constitution to establish an indigenous advisory body to the federal parliament. — BERJAYA

Tom Switzer, National Review, 18 Oct. 2023 One of the most effective ways to protect the Amazon is to secure and expand the land rights of indigenous peoples. — BERJAYA

Gen Cleary, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2023 He was known for his brutality against indigenous people and settlers, and his statues have sparked criticism and controversy. — BERJAYA

Faris Tanyos, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2023 Drawing on his own life, Rangi, who is of Ngāti Porou descent, wrote Taonga to tell the story of an indigenous Polynesian rugby star who becomes homeless before a violent encounter with law enforcement leaves him for dead. — BERJAYA

Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Sep. 2023 Drummer is played by Cara Gee, a sparkling Canadian talent whom Forbes once described as one of the most prominent indigenous women in entertainment. — BERJAYA

WIRED, 16 Sep. 2023 Essays by an indigenous scientist offer lessons in reciprocal awareness between people and plants. — BERJAYA

Becky Meloan, Washington Post, 6 Sep. 2023 Kamehameha Schools is an indigenous educational institution. — BERJAYA

Kayla Jimenez, USA TODAY, 6 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'indigenous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.