naturalize

B2 Topic:Nature & Landscape

Also spelled naturalising

US /ˈnætʃɚrəlaɪz/ UK /ˈnætʃərəlaɪz/ See IPA manual

Freq #393043

Meanings

1

verb
to establish a plant or animal outside its native range so that it reproduces without human help

The mild coastal climate allowed the imported shrub to naturalize rapidly.
2

verb
to grant a foreign national the legal rights and status of a citizen

The country naturalized her after she had met the residency requirements.
3

verb
to adapt a word, custom, or idea so that it seems native or familiar in a new setting

Translators sometimes naturalize a foreign idiom for local readers.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to establish a plant or... establish acclimatize

2 verb · to grant a foreign national... enfranchiseadmit to citizenship

3 verb · to adapt a word, custom, or... adapt domesticate assimilate

Opposites

denaturalize exclude alienate

Word family

Derived forms naturalization naturalizednaturalizerdenaturalize

Related forms natural native citizenship acclimatize

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French naturaliser, formed from natural + -ize and ultimately Latin naturalis, 'of nature or birth.' The citizenship sense treats someone as native by law; the biological sense treats an introduced species as established in nature.

Topics

Nature & Landscape

External links

# naturalize

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈnætʃɚrəlaɪz/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈnætʃərəlaɪz/
**Frequency rank:** 393043

## Meanings
1. to establish a plant or animal outside its native range so that it reproduces without human help
2. to grant a foreign national the legal rights and status of a citizen
3. to adapt a word, custom, or idea so that it seems native or familiar in a new setting

## Examples
- The mild coastal climate allowed the imported shrub to naturalize rapidly.
- The country naturalized her after she had met the residency requirements.
- Translators sometimes naturalize a foreign idiom for local readers.

## Synonyms
- establish
- acclimatize
- adapt
- assimilate

## Antonyms
- denaturalize
- exclude
- alienate

## Derived Forms
- naturalization
- naturalized
- naturalizer
- denaturalize

## Related Forms
- natural
- native
- citizenship
- acclimatize

## Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French naturaliser, formed from natural + -ize and ultimately Latin naturalis, 'of nature or birth.' The citizenship sense treats someone as native by law; the biological sense treats an introduced species as established in nature.

## Topics
- Nature & Landscape

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