Words / C1

in-DIJ-uh-n-uh-s/ɪnˈdɪdʒənəs/

Indigenous means originating in a place, especially of peoples, languages, and species. Native writers capitalise Indigenous in many style guides when referring to peoples, and they prefer it to older colonial phrasing. Native overlaps but is also used for languages (a native speaker) in a different sense. Local only means “of the area now.”

Meaning

Originally from a place; native.

Examples

• “These plants are indigenous to the region.”
• “The museum collaborated with indigenous historians on the labels.”
• “Several indigenous languages of the valley are now endangered.”

Good to know

indigenous to + place. Of peoples: often Indigenous (capital I) in modern style. Not only “local.”

Near in meaning

native

New