naturalization
UK[ˌnætʃrəlaɪˈzeɪʃn]US[ˌnætʃrələˈzeɪʃn]
n
The process by which a foreign citizen becomes a citizen of a new country.
n
The process of introducing an animal or plant to a region where it is not native.
n
The act of making something seem normal and natural.
Morpheme Breakdown
natur
al
ization
natur
nature
al
adjective suffix
ization
process of making
Etymology
The word 'naturalization' is built upon the Latin root 'natura', which originally meant "birth" or "essential qualities." The suffix '-al' transforms it into the adjective 'natural', meaning "of or according to nature." The final and crucial suffix '-ization' (via French and Latin from Greek) denotes the process of making or becoming. Thus, the literal morphemic logic is "the process of making (someone or something) natural." This evolved from the ancient concept of granting the rights of a native-born person to a foreigner, effectively "re-birthing" them into a new political community, to its modern legal and biological meanings.
Analysis
Structure: natur (nature) + al (adjective suffix) + ization (process of making)
- natur: From Latin 'natura' (birth, character, the natural world). The core root.
- al: A suffix of Latin origin forming adjectives meaning "of, relating to, or characterized by."
- ization: A suffix forming nouns of action or process, from French '-isation', ultimately from Latin '-izare' (from Greek '-izein') + '-ation'.
Examples
After ten years of residency, she began the process of naturalization to become a citizen.
The naturalization of certain plant species has significantly altered the local ecosystem.
The constant advertising led to the naturalization of consumerist values in their culture.