native-born

American

[ney-tiv-bawrn] / ˈneɪ tɪvˈbɔrn /

adjective

born in the place or country indicated.

a native-born Australian.

native-born British

adjective

born in the country or area indicated

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of native-born

First recorded in 1490–1500

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The unemployment rate for native-born workers rose to 4.7% in February from 4.4% a year earlier, outpacing the overall unemployment rate of 4.4%, according to the BLS.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2026

What is actually troubling is the number of native-born Americans who can speak only English.

From Salon • Feb. 12, 2026

“Lower net migration means we will depend more on native-born workers, and as you know, our population is aging. The fertility rate is declining,” he added.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026

The other three are native-born Americans, but she's worried sick every time they leave the house.

From Barron's • Feb. 1, 2026

The biggest surprise to emerge from the detailed studies of the remains was the revelation that the previously held belief that Tudor England was an all-white, native-born population was simply not true.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023