Providing a negative-electrode active material for nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery, the negative-electrode active material enabling an output characteristic to upgrade, a production process for the same, a negative electrode for nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery, and a nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery. The negative-electrode active material includes an Si-metal-carbon composite composed of: a metal/carbon composite matrix including at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Cu, Fe, Ni, Ti, Nb, Zn, In and Sn, at least one member selected from the group consisting of N, O, P and S, and amorphous carbon; and nanometer-size Si particles dispersed in the metal/carbon composite matrix.