native son

¹

noun

1. a person born in a particular place:

   The delegation from Iowa nominated a native son.

Native Son

²

noun

1. a novel (1940) by Richard Wright.

Native Son

1. (1940) A novel by African-American author Richard Wright about a young black man whose life is destroyed by poverty and racism .

Word History and Origins

Origin of native son¹

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35

Example Sentences

Before the end of the decade two of the city’s native sons, Bill Gates and Paul Allen, renamed their software company from its original Micro-Soft, moved back home from New Mexico, and set up in a suburb across Lake Washington.

From MIT Technology Review

No wonder Labour is making a huge “no” push, sending native son Gordon Brown up to campaign as the vote nears.

From The Daily Beast

News that a native son had been made pope swept through Argentina like the wind over Patagonia.

From The Daily Beast

Mitt Romney, a quasi-native son by virtue of his Mormon faith, advocated balancing the federal budget through spending cuts alone.

From The Daily Beast

It was a simple and appealing narrative worthy of comparison to the writings of Greensboro, N.C.'s native son, O. Henry.

From The Daily Beast

But in Wisconsin, native son and right-wing poster-boy Paul Ryan may have made the difference.

From The Daily Beast

"Ye see, I'm not a native son," explained Landy, as they rode abreast on the widened road.

From Project Gutenberg

He is a native son of the west and possesses the spirit of western enterprise.

From Project Gutenberg

He is a native son of Walla Walla, born April 7, 1870, in the house which he now occupies though it has since been remodeled.

From Project Gutenberg

Not a line of the tragedy that was being enacted before his eyes escaped this native son of the wilderness.

From Project Gutenberg

"It means what we're aiming to do—if anybody could prove it on us," explained the Native Son.

From Project Gutenberg