wildborn

Wildborn is a term used to describe a person or creature born in the wild, outside human society or domestication. In common usage it contrasts with terms such as city-born, domesticated, or raised in captivity. The exact origin of the word is uncertain, but it is a straightforward combination of wild and born in modern English and appears mainly in descriptive or fictional contexts rather than as a formal scientific classification.

In biology and anthropology, the closest formal concepts are feral or wild-born individuals—humans or animals raised by their own species in natural settings rather than in human care. Wildborn as a label is therefore more common in popular discourse and fiction than in scholarly literature.

In literature, film, and games, wildborn is often used to mark a character with a wilderness upbringing. Such a background can influence appearance, behavior, or abilities, including resourcefulness, hunting or foraging skills, and a particular orientation toward authority or urban life. The designation can also serve thematic purposes, highlighting independence, resilience, or a tension between civilization and nature.

See also: feral child, ferality, wilderness.