indigenous

Indigenous (from Latin indigena which means “native to the country”) refers to the earliest known people of a region or country. It is often used to describe the remaining population of a place that was colonized by a now-dominant group.

The indigenous population can be referred to as first peoples, first nations, native peoples, or autochthonous peoples (in reference to a specific location).

[Last reviewed in March of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team ]

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