naturalize: Meaning and Definition of

nat•u•ral•ize

Pronunciation: (nach'ur-u-līz", nach'ru-), [key]
— v., -ized, -iz•ing.
—v.t.
  1. to confer upon (an alien) the rights and privileges of a citizen.
  2. to introduce (organisms) into a region and cause them to flourish as if native.
  3. to introduce or adopt (foreign practices, words, etc.) into a country or into general use: to naturalize a French phrase.
  4. to bring into conformity with nature.
  5. to regard or explain as natural rather than supernatural: to naturalize miracles.
  6. to adapt or accustom to a place or to new surroundings.
—v.i.
  1. to become naturalized.
  2. to adapt as if native to a new environment, set of circumstances, etc.
  3. to study or carry on research in natural history.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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