Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Originating, growing, or produced in a certain place or region. synonym: native.
  • adjective Being a member of the original inhabitants of a particular place.
  • adjective Of, belonging to, or characteristic of such inhabitants.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In geology, noting a rock or a mineral which has originated as such in the place where it is found, such as granite or basalt in situ. A glacial boulder brought from a distance is exotic or erratic.
  • In physiography, noting a stream which developed originally in its present surroundings: it is a consequent one in most cases.
  • Born or originating in a particular place or country; produced naturally in a country or climate; native; not exotic.
  • Figuratively, innate; inherent; intrinsic.
  • Synonyms Native, etc. See original, a.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Native; produced, growing, or living, naturally in a country or climate; not exotic; not imported.
  • adjective Native; inherent; innate.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective originating where it is found

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From Latin indigena, a native; see indigen.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Late Latin indigenus ("native, born in a country"), from indi- (indu-), an old derivative of in ("in"), gen- the root of gignō ("give birth to"), and English -ous. Compare indigene and ancient Greek ἐνδογενής (endogenēs), "endogenous".

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Examples

  • ��Bob Smith�� puts the words ��indigenous�� in inverted commas, but the British Establishment supports the rights of plenty of other indigenous people without the need to use inverted commas.

    On Thursday, the Legg report will be published along with... 2009

  • I use the term indigenous with care, as "indigenous" includes Muslims going back many generations.

    [l'interdiction du burqa] pourrait expédier l'islamicization 2009

  • I use the term indigenous with care, as "indigenous" includes Muslims going back many generations.

    Archive 2009-06-01 2009

  • That's why U.S. national security adviser Tom Donilon, in talking with journalists late last week, used the term "indigenous" four times to describe dissidents in Libya and elsewhere in the region.

    Iran Looms Large in Libya Decisions Gerald F. Seib 2011

  • Since independence the term indigenous, widely used in an affirmative action campaign, has applied almost exclusively to blacks and left out whites and other minorities born in the southern African nation - some the descendants of several generations of settlers.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 2007

  • We use the term indigenous to describe the people whose ancestors were the earliest settlers here after the last great Ice Age and which have been complemented by the historic migrations from mainland Europe.

    Archive 2007-04-01 2007

  • We use the term indigenous to describe the people whose ancestors were the earliest settlers here after the last great Ice Age and which have been complemented by the historic migrations from mainland Europe.

    What's Wrong With the BNP? 2007

  • He said paragraph 27 of the draft declaration of the conference which declared that the use of the term indigenous peoples "cannot be construed as having any implications to rights" would undermine the rights of minorities if it was accepted.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 2001

  • We use the term indigenous to describe locally developed knowledge, practices, and resources including crop varieties and gardens.

    1. Introduction 1991

  • We use the term indigenous to describe the people whose ancestors were the earliest settlers here after the last great Ice Age and which have been complemented by the historic migrations from mainland Europe.

    The British National Party 2009

  • When we use the phrase “Indigenous peoples,” we indicate the plurality of diverse, sovereign communities who were living in specific regions when Europeans first attempted to name, categorize, and colonize them.

    Why Capitalize “Indigenous”? Sapiens 2022

  • In the U.N., ‘Indigenous’ is used to refer broadly to peoples of long settlement and connection to specific lands who have been adversely affected by incursions by industrial economies, displacement, and settlement of their traditional territories by others.

    Why Capitalize “Indigenous”? Sapiens 2022

  • Capitalize the first word and use lowercase for people when describing persons who are Indigenous or Aboriginal (eg, Indigenous people, Indigenous peoples of Canada, Aboriginal people).

    Updated Guidance on the Reporting of Race and Ethnicity in Medical and Science Journals For Authors 2021

Comments

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  • The vast a complex nature of the soul is indigenous to the depths of humanity

    May 21, 2008