nature

[ ney-cher ]

noun

1. the material world, especially as surrounding humankind and existing independently of human activities.
2. the natural world as it exists without human beings or civilization:

   In nature, wild dogs hunt in packs.

3. the elements of the natural world, as mountains, trees, animals, or rivers:

   The abandoned power plant was reclaimed by nature, covered in overgrowth and home to feral animals.

4. natural scenery:

   Tourists at the resort are surrounded by nature.

5. the universe, with all its phenomena:

   Conservation of energy is a universal law of nature.

6. the sum total of the forces at work throughout the universe.
7. reality, as distinguished from any effect of art:

   a portrait true to nature.

8. the particular combination of qualities belonging to a person, animal, thing, or class by birth, origin, or constitution; native or inherent character:

   human nature.

9. the instincts or inherent tendencies directing conduct:

   a man of good nature.

10. character, kind, or sort:

    two books of the same nature.

11. characteristic disposition; temperament: an evil nature.

    a self-willed nature;

    an evil nature.

12. the original, natural, uncivilized condition of humankind.
13. the biological functions or the urges to satisfy their requirements.
14. a primitive, wild condition; an uncultivated state.
15. a simple, uncluttered mode of life without the conveniences or distractions of civilization:

    a return to nature.

16. (initial capital letter, italics) a prose work (1836), by Ralph Waldo Emerson, expounding transcendentalism.
17. Theology. the moral state as unaffected by grace.

nature

/ ˈneɪtʃə /

noun

1. the fundamental qualities of a person or thing; identity or essential character
2. often capital, esp when personified the whole system of the existence, arrangement, forces, and events of all physical life that are not controlled by man
3. all natural phenomena and plant and animal life, as distinct from man and his creations
4. a wild primitive state untouched by man or civilization
5. natural unspoilt scenery or countryside
6. disposition or temperament
7. tendencies, desires, or instincts governing behaviour
8. the normal biological needs or urges of the body
9. sort; kind; character
10. the real appearance of a person or thing

    a painting very true to nature

11. accepted standards of basic morality or behaviour
12. See nurture
    biology the complement of genetic material that partly determines the structure of an organism; genotype Compare nurture
13. sympathy and fondness for one's own people or native place

    she is full of nature

14. against nature
    against nature unnatural or immoral
15. by nature
    by nature essentially or innately
16. call of nature informal.
    call of nature the need to urinate or defecate
17. from nature
    from nature using natural models in drawing, painting, etc
18. in the nature of
    in the nature ofof the nature of essentially the same as; by way of

nature

/ nā′chər /

1. The world and its naturally occurring phenomena, together with all of the physical laws that govern them.
2. Living organisms and their environments.

Other Words From

• nature·like adjective
• anti·nature adjective noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of nature¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English natur(e), from Old French, from Latin nātūra “conditions of birth, quality, character, natural order, world,” equivalent to nāt(us) (past participle of nāscī “to be born”) + -ūra noun suffix; -ure

Word History and Origins

Origin of nature¹

C13: via Old French from Latin nātūra, from nātus, past participle of nascī to be born

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. by nature, as a result of inborn or inherent qualities; innately:

   She is by nature a kindhearted person.

2. in a state of nature,
   1. in an uncivilized or uncultured condition.
   2. without clothes; nude; naked.
3. of / in the nature of, having the character or qualities of:

   in the nature of an apology.

More idioms and phrases containing nature

see call of nature ; good nature ; second nature .

Example Sentences

That’s the nature of business, and in this author’s opinion, it is precisely why the best solution is for Platforms to cease the obfuscation of data for the sake of more automated campaign types that may or may not work as well for all advertisers.

From Search Engine Land

“People are trying to figure out how we can work with nature to improve the health of these wetlands,” Narayan says.

From Science News For Students

I like his account so much that I wish its central idea didn’t conflict with pretty much everything that I’ve written about the nature of belief over the past 25 years.

From Nautilus

My proposal is that the inherently directed nature of Reality entails that it’s objectively good for Reality when it manifests as pleasure and objectively bad for Reality when it manifests as pain.

From Nautilus

Truth be told, given the precarious nature of Antetokounmpo’s future — he can become an unrestricted free agent after next season — just about everything should be on the table.

From FiveThirtyEight

The “nature of the crime” was too serious to release him, they said.

From The Daily Beast

That explanation is believable…but increasingly less so when you hear Jay talk about the nature of his relationship with Adnan.

From The Daily Beast

However, it appears it is this very open nature that the Lizard Squad is attempting to exploit.

From The Daily Beast

Science imitates nature as researchers dream up robotic dogs, cheetahs, sharks and even cockroaches.

From The Daily Beast

His constant worship of his wife stands in stark contrast to scandals of the domestic nature in other sports.

From The Daily Beast

This is one of the most striking manifestations of the better side of child-nature and deserves a chapter to itself.

From Project Gutenberg

Of course the expression of this value is modified and characterized by the nature of the thing spoken of.

From Project Gutenberg

The pictures of flowers which this artist paints prove her to be a devoted lover of nature.

From Project Gutenberg

So it commands the other sciences in all the wonderful and hidden things of nature and art (pp. 510-511).

From Project Gutenberg

It was Carmena, every nerve of her loyal nature on the alert to baffle this pursuer of Alessandro and Ramona.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• character
• description
• sort
• structure
• style
• variety
• way