natural-born

American  

[nach-er-uhl-bawrn, nach-ruhl-] / ˈnætʃ ər əlˈbɔrn, ˈnætʃ rəl- /

adjective

1. native-born.

2. by virtue of one's nature, qualities, or innate talent.

   a natural-born musician.

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natural-born British  

adjective

1. being as specified through one's birth

   a natural-born Irishman

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Etymology

Origin of natural-born

First recorded in 1575–85

Example Sentences

Some 80,000 natural-born Americans reside in Spain, a number that doesn’t fully count students, dual citizens, workers on short-term contracts or residents who believe they will return to the U.S. in the near future.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

Titled “Mary Magdalene,” it mixes fact and fiction, as in general seems to be Davis’ wont as a natural-born storyteller, always refining her tale through fabulation and embellishment.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2025

When an American-born descendant of resident noncitizens sued after being refused re-entry to San Francisco under the Chinese Exclusion Act, the court recognized his natural-born citizenship.

From Salon • Dec. 9, 2025

Navalny was a social-media phenomenon, a charismatic speaker with some of the egotism of a natural-born leader.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2024

A natural-born engineer, Rob loved infrastructure, electronics, and gadgets of all kinds; he spent his spare time endlessly tinkering with the solar electrical system or reading back issues of Popular Science.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer