human nature
Americannoun
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the psychological and social qualities that characterize humankind, especially in contrast with other living things.
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Sociology. the character of human conduct, generally regarded as produced by living in primary groups.
noun
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the qualities common to humanity
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ordinary human behaviour, esp considered as less than perfect
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sociol the unique elements that form a basic part of human life and distinguish it from other animal life
Etymology
Origin of human nature
First recorded in 1735–45
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Music made by artificial intelligence will be banned from Australia's top charts under new guidelines aimed at protecting "the human nature of artistry", an industry body said Tuesday.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
It looks like a Lifetime movie, but the payoff is optimistic in what it says about human nature.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
As the late, great economist Hyman Minsky pointed out, booms pretty much always lead to bubbles, which in turn lead to crashes, because of human nature.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026
Like the calm, godly Eye, he registers the good and bad of human nature with moral clarity but without castigation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
It was human nature, and Jule had spent years training to make herself especially good at it.
From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
