The word "native" refers to someone or something that originates from a particular place. It often describes the first inhabitants of a region or denotes a specific quality related to one's original environment. For example, a native language is the first language a person learns, and native species are those that have evolved in a particular ecosystem without human intervention.
The word "native" comes from the Latin word "nativus," which means "born" or "natural." This Latin term is derived from "nascor," meaning “to be born.” It was adopted into Middle English as "native" in the late 14th century.