Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
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name
The sum of natural forces reified and considered as a sentient being, will, or principle.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The way things are, the totality of all things in the physical universe and their order, especially the physical world in contrast to spiritual realms and flora and fauna as distinct from human conventions, art, and technology.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: capitalized, often, uncountable
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The particular way someone or something is, especially
The essential or innate characteristics of a person or thing which will always tend to manifest, especially in contrast to specific contexts, reason, religious duty, upbringing, and personal pretense or effort.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The particular way someone or something is, especially
The distinguishing characteristic of a person or thing, understood as its general class, sort, type, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The particular way someone or something is, especially
Synonym of caliber: the class of a gun.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, countable, obsolete, uncountable
Topics: government, military, politics, war
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: caliber
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The vital functions or strength of someone or something, especially (now dialect) as requiring nourishment or careful maintenance or (medicine) as a force of regeneration without special treatment.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A requirement or powerful impulse of the body's physical form, especially
The need to urinate and defecate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A requirement or powerful impulse of the body's physical form, especially
Sexual desire.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Qualifier: now chiefly African-American Vernacular
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A requirement or powerful impulse of the body's physical form, especially
Spontaneous love, affection, or reverence, especially between parent and child.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Qualifier: now chiefly UK regional and African-American Vernacular
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A product of the body's physical form, especially semen and vaginal fluids, menstrual fluid, and (obsolete) feces.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A part of the body's physical form, especially (obsolete) the female genitalia.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To endow with natural qualities.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
the complex of emotional and intellectual attributes that determine a person's characteristic actions and reactions
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: trait
Narrower terms: animality, animal nature, disposition, temperament, complexion, sociality
noun
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: quality
noun
a particular type of thing
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: type
noun
the natural physical world including plants and animals and landscapes etc.
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: universe, existence, creation, world, cosmos, macrocosm
noun
a causal agent creating and controlling things in the universe
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: causal agent, cause, causal agency
History
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh1- Proto-Indo-European *ǵn̥h1-sḱé-ti Proto-Italic *gnāskōrder. Latin nāscor Proto-Indo-European *-tew-? Proto-Indo-European *-r-eh2? Latin -tūra Latin nātūralbor. Old French naturebor. Middle English nature English nature From Middle English nature, natur, from Old French nature, from Latin nātūra (“birth, origin, natural constitution or quality”), future participle from perfect passive participle (g)natus (“born”), from deponent verb (g)nasci (“to be born, originate”) + future participle suffix -urus. Displaced native Middle English erd (“character, nature, disposition”) from Old English eard (compare German Art (“nature, character, kind, type”)); and Middle English kynde (“character, disposition, nature”) from Old English ġecynd. More at kind.
Across languages
293 source translations are retained for this English entry.
