digital native

Meaning

A 'digital native' is a person who was born or brought up during the age of digital technology and is therefore familiar with computers, smartphones, and the internet from a very early age. This term is frequently used in discussions about education, workplace culture, and generational differences.

Examples

• Since Gen Z are digital natives, they adapt to new social media platforms almost instantly.

  Since Gen Z are digital natives, they adapt to new social media platforms almost instantly.

• The new school curriculum is designed specifically with digital natives in mind.

  The new school curriculum is designed specifically with digital natives in mind.

• Even though he's a digital native, he still prefers reading physical textbooks over tablets.

  Even though he's a digital native, he still prefers reading physical textbooks over tablets.

• Employers often assume digital natives are automatically experts in complex office software, which isn't always true.

  Employers often assume digital natives are automatically experts in complex office software, which isn't always true.

• As a digital native, she has never known a world without high-speed internet access.

  As a digital native, she has never known a world without high-speed internet access.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ She is a native digital who loves apps.

  ✓ She is a digital native who loves apps.

  'Digital native' is a fixed compound noun. The adjective 'digital' must come first.

• ✗ The children are digital native.

  ✓ The children are digital natives.

  'Digital native' is a countable noun, so you must pluralize it when referring to more than one person.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Growing up with smartphones makes today's teenagers true ___ .

  💡 Plural form for people born into the internet age.

  Show answer

  digital natives

• As a ___ , she found it exceptionally easy to learn coding at a young age.

  💡 Singular form.

  Show answer

  digital native