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
But after humans colonized New Zealand, bringing non-native species, such as Polynesian dogs, the species vanished.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 23 May 2024
Landowners hired a local farmer to grow non-native grass and produce hay there and sought to retain classification of the land as agricultural for savings on their property tax bill.
—Bill Lukitsch, Kansas City Star, 22 May 2024
Some non-native lawn plants are very attractive to pollinators.
—Christina Grozinger, Discover Magazine, 22 May 2024
To maintain the restoration’s momentum, the nonprofit Watershed Management Group brings volunteers to streams where the mountains meet desert to remove tangles of non-native vegetation that sucks water and crowds out native species.
—Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 20 May 2024
During this period, a non-native plant, buffelgrass, began to colonize the park.
—CBS News, 15 May 2024
Still other mitigation efforts include introducing non-native predators of the emerald ash borer, such as stingless wasps.
—Gaby Vinick, ABC News, 13 May 2024
We’re scolded for growing a lawn ― chastised for growing a tea rose or a daphne or some other non-native plant.
—Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 10 May 2024
To do so, Lale talks to nature writer Jessica J. Lee about how, as she's lived around the world, learning about non-native plants has given her a sense of belonging.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Apr. 2024
Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 23 May 2024
Landowners hired a local farmer to grow non-native grass and produce hay there and sought to retain classification of the land as agricultural for savings on their property tax bill.
—Bill Lukitsch, Kansas City Star, 22 May 2024
Some non-native lawn plants are very attractive to pollinators.
—Christina Grozinger, Discover Magazine, 22 May 2024
To maintain the restoration’s momentum, the nonprofit Watershed Management Group brings volunteers to streams where the mountains meet desert to remove tangles of non-native vegetation that sucks water and crowds out native species.
—Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 20 May 2024
During this period, a non-native plant, buffelgrass, began to colonize the park.
—CBS News, 15 May 2024
Still other mitigation efforts include introducing non-native predators of the emerald ash borer, such as stingless wasps.
—Gaby Vinick, ABC News, 13 May 2024
We’re scolded for growing a lawn ― chastised for growing a tea rose or a daphne or some other non-native plant.
—Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 10 May 2024
To do so, Lale talks to nature writer Jessica J. Lee about how, as she's lived around the world, learning about non-native plants has given her a sense of belonging.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'non-native.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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 1 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share