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Native vs Indigenous vs Endemic vs Aboriginal vs Autochthonous

Nativeindigenousendemicaboriginalautochthonous all mean belonging to or associated with a particular place by birth or origin.

A person or thing is native (opposed to foreign, alien ) that has had his or its birth or origin in the place in question.

A person or thing is indigenous (opposed to naturalized, exotic ) that is not only native but also has not been introduced from elsewhere into the place indicated.

Indigenous is applied usually to kinds (as species or races) rather than to individuals and often implies reference to a larger area than native (as to a country, or to a region characterized by a particular type of climate).

A thing is endemic (opposed to exotic and in medicine to pandemic ) which not only is indigenous but is also peculiar to, or in the case of a disease, prevalent in, a restricted region because of special conditions favoring its growth or existence.

A person or thing is aboriginal that belongs to the earliest known race inhabiting a country or to the people found there (as by explorers, colonists, and invaders); the term usually implies the lack of a known predecessor and often connotes a primitive culture.

Aboriginal is more rarely applied to the earliest ascertainable native plants and animals.

Something is autochthonous which has its origin in the place in which it is found. When applied to races of men or their achievements, it implies purity of stock or freedom from all external influences.