naturalistic
Americanadjective
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pertaining to naturalists or natural history.
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pertaining to naturalism, especially in literature and art.
adjective
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of, imitating, or reproducing nature in effect or characteristics
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of or characteristic of naturalism, esp in art or literature
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of or relating to naturalists
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(of an ethical theory) permitting the inference of ethical judgments from statements of nonethical fact See Hume's law
Other Word Forms
- antinaturalistic adjective
- naturalistically adverb
- nonnaturalistic adjective
- unnaturalistic adjective
Etymology
Origin of naturalistic
Explanation
Something that's naturalistic looks real. If you say "excuse me" to a naturalistic mannequin in a store, then that mannequin must look like the real deal! Naturalistic things resemble or are influence by reality, so a naturalistic conversation in a movie sounds like something people would really say to each other, and the naturalistic mooing sound your little cousin makes sounds like a real cow. The 1849 definition of naturalistic was "aiming for realism," from natural and its Latin root, naturalis, "according to nature."
Vocabulary lists containing naturalistic
Drama Terminology
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Reading: Literature - Drama - High School
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Words to Describe a Work of Art
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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.
Mr. Zeldin writes crisp, fluid, naturalistic dialogue; unlike in Greek tragedies, there are no soliloquies.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026
The production is naturalistic, with bits of expressionist neo-noir worked in when a crime is being described.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026
Williams encouraged Inge to write, and Inge’s first major success, “Come Back, Little Sheba,” established his voice: naturalistic, elegiac, and psychologically incisive.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026
Having Albert Brooks as a best friend likely molded his style too; both were forerunners of a school of comedy that merged a naturalistic, conversational delivery with an absurdist sensibility.
From Salon • Dec. 21, 2025
Like most Maya art, the portrait is too stylized to regard as a naturalistic rendering.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
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.
