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
The workshop will include a live demonstration of various arrangements of native, non-native, and invasive plant species.
—Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 3 July 2024
In several places around the world, other non-native jelly species have appeared far outside their usual habitats.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 29 June 2024
But that fascination soured when wombats, prolific diggers, got caught up in the general rage against pesky, non-native rabbits.
—Amber Dance, Discover Magazine, 27 June 2024
The vast majority of open-net pen farms in operation today raise non-native Atlantic salmon, which are cooped up by the tens of thousands in large pens made of plastic netting.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 27 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for non-native 
Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 3 July 2024
In several places around the world, other non-native jelly species have appeared far outside their usual habitats.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 29 June 2024
But that fascination soured when wombats, prolific diggers, got caught up in the general rage against pesky, non-native rabbits.
—Amber Dance, Discover Magazine, 27 June 2024
The vast majority of open-net pen farms in operation today raise non-native Atlantic salmon, which are cooped up by the tens of thousands in large pens made of plastic netting.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 27 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for non-native
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 7 Jul. 2024.
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