native speaker

[ ney-tiv spee-ker ]

noun

1. a person whose knowledge and use of a language is characterized by the fact that it is their first or native language, a language that a person acquires fully through extensive exposure in childhood: The first requirement is that you can hold a one-minute conversation with a native speaker of German. Compare nonnative speaker ( def ).

   As native speakers, we are often not conscious of the conjugation rules we follow.

   The first requirement is that you can hold a one-minute conversation with a native speaker of German.

native speaker

noun

1. a person having a specified native language

   a native speaker of Cree

Word History and Origins

Origin of native speaker¹

First recorded in 1855–60; nonnative speaker ( def )

Example Sentences

A high proportion of native speakers in Trabzon are over 65 years of age and fewer young people are learning the language.

From Science Daily

Of this language, at least, “3 Body Problem” is a native speaker.

From New York Times

Arieh Smith, 33, known as Xiaomanyc online, spent three weeks studying Welsh before flying across the Atlantic to chat with native speakers.

From BBC

Knowing this can help unburden scientists new to the English-speaking world from the expectation that we should already be native speakers by the time we arrive.

From Scientific American

Some linguists, however, argue that the appearance of Sanskrit was predated by Tamil, a Dravidian language that is still used by almost 85 million native speakers in southern India and Sri Lanka.

From Scientific American