nature

Syllables: na·ture/ˈneɪ̯.tʃə(ɹ)//ˈneɪ̯.tʃə/

nature 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.

Noun

nature (countable and uncountable, plural natures)

(capitalized, often, uncountable) 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.
- I oft admire
  How Nature, wise and frugal, could commit
  Such disproportions.1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC...
- In the works of nature we find, in many instances, beauty and sublimity involved among circumstances, which are either indifferent, or which obstruct the general effect: and it is only by a train of experiments, that we can separate those circumstances from the rest... Accordingly, the...1808, Dugald Stewart, Elements of the Philosophy of the Human Mind, pages 315–6
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.
- Vliss.: ... One touch of nature makes the whole world kin,
  That all with one consent praise new-borne gaudes,
  Though they are made and moulded of things past,
  And goe to dust, that is a little guilt,
  More laud then guilt ore-dusted.c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount...
- Lady. ...Glamys thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be
  What thou art promis'd: yet doe I feare thy Nature,
  It is too full o'th' Milke of humane kindnesse,
  To catch the neerest way.c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount...
Synonyms:

essence
The distinguishing characteristic of a person or thing, understood as its general class, sort, type, etc.
- For the French, it was impossible for them to serve her in that nature.1626 July 12, Charles I, Instructions
- A dispute of this nature caused mischief.1700, [John] Dryden, “Preface”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC
(UK, obsolete) Synonym of caliber: the class of a gun.
- ...One Hundred of each Nature of Case-Shot...1828, James Morton Spearman, The British Gunner, page 130
- B.L. cartridges have lubricators choked inside the cartridges of 40-pr. and lower natures.1879, War Office, Manual of Siege and Garrison Artillery Exercises, page 37
Synonyms:

caliber
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.
- Any such corrasiue, sharpe or eager medicine... as the said H. shal think his nature is vnable to suffer...1592, William West, Symbolaeography, Pt. I, §102b
- For nature creſſant does not grovve alone / In thevvs and bulkes, but as this temple vvaxes, / The invvard ſervice of the minde and ſoule / Grovves vvide vvithal, […]c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604...
The need to urinate and defecate.
- He withdrew from the Company to ease Nature.1701, William Wotton, The History of Rome, page 328
- The women tell you to stop because they's feeling the call of nature. If you don't stop they pee in your lorry.1965, Wole Soyinka, Road, page 26
(now chiefly African-American Vernacular) Sexual desire.
- She marvelled "What he saw in such a baby
  "As that prim, silent, cold Aurora Raby?"
  ...Why Adeline had this slight prejudice
  ...For me appears a question far too nice,
  Since Adeline was liberal by Nature;
  But Nature’s Nature, and has more caprices
  Than I have time, or will to take to pieces...1823, Lord Byron, Don Juan, Draft, Canto XV, St. xlix & lii
- He had placed a spell on her by means of a cunjer bag... Its effect was to rob her of connubial allure—in her words, ‘it stole her nature’.1941, William Alexander Percy, Lanterns on the Levee, page 305
(now chiefly UK regional and African-American Vernacular) Spontaneous love, affection, or reverence, especially between parent and child.
- Lady. ... Come you Spirits,
  That tend on mortall thoughts, vnsex me here,
  ...make thick my blood,
  Stop vp th'accesse, and passage to Remorse,
  That no compunctious visitings of Nature
  Shake my fell purpose...c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount...
- Have we not seen (the blood of Laius shed)
  The murd'ring son ascend his parent's bed,
  Thro' violated Nature force his way,
  And stain the sacred womb where once he lay?1712, Alexander Pope, “The First Book of Statius's Thebais”, in Miscellaneous Poems and Translations, page 25
(archaic) A product of the body's physical form, especially semen and vaginal fluids, menstrual fluid, and (obsolete) feces.
- If a man want to break his wife from some man, he steals this dishcloth... an' he ketches her nachure in this dishcloth...c. 1938, spell cited in Harry Middleton Hyatt, Hoodoo Conjuration Witchcraft Rootwork, Vol. I, p. 534
(archaic) A part of the body's physical form, especially (obsolete) the female genitalia.
- ... offer her the Horse, and... wash her Nature with cold Water ...1743 May, William Ellis, Modern Husbandman, No. xiv, p. 137

Verb

nature (third-person singular simple present natures, present participle naturing, simple past and past participle natured)

(obsolete, transitive) To endow with natural qualities.

Proper noun capitalized: Nature

Nature

The sum of natural forces reified and considered as a sentient being, will, or principle.
- To her fair works did Nature link
  The human soul that through me ran;
  And much it grieved my heart to think
  What man has made of man.1798, William Wordsworth, Lines Written in Early Spring
- The human genius is creative when it copies Nature, and imitative when it aims to invent.1807, [Germaine] de Staël Holstein, translated by D[ennis] Lawler, “[[Book XIII. Vesuvius and the plain of Naples.] Chap[ter] IV.] The extempore effusion of Corinna on the Plain of Naples.”, in...

nature meaning in Hindi, Tamil, Marathi and Urdu

nature in Hindi

the natural world and its order: प्रकृति prakŕti, फ़ितरत fitrat, फितरत phitrat, तबीयत tabīyat, क़ुदरत qudrat, कुदरत kudrat
essential characteristics: स्वभाव svabhāv, फ़ितरत fitrat, फितरत phitrat, ज़ात zāt

nature in Tamil

the natural world and its order: இயற்கை iyaṟkai
essential characteristics: தன்மை taṉmai, இயற்கை iyaṟkai, இயல்பு iyalpu, வாகு vāku

nature in Marathi

the natural world and its order: निसर्ग nisarga

nature in Urdu

the natural world and its order: فِطْرَت fitrat, طَبِیعَت tabī'at, قُدْرَت qudrat
essential characteristics: فِطْرَت fitrat

More languagesFewer languages

nature in Bengali: প্রকৃতি prokriti
nature in Telugu: ప్రకృతి prakr̥ti, స్వభావము svabhāvamu
nature in Malayalam: പ്രകൃതി prakr̥ti
nature in Kannada: ನಿಸರ್ಗ nisarga, ಪ್ರಕೃತಿ prakṛti
nature in Punjabi: ਕੁਦਰਤ kudrat, قُدْرَت qudrat
nature in Gujarati: પ્રકૃતિ prakŕti, કુદરત kudrat
nature in Odia: ପ୍ରକୃତି prakruti
nature in Sanskrit: प्रकृति prakṛti
nature in Sinhala: සොබාදහම sobādahama
nature in Assamese: প্ৰকৃতি prokriti
nature in Nepali: प्रकृति prakr̥ti
nature in Pashto: طبيعت tabi'at
nature in Tagalog: kalikasan
nature in Arabic: طَبِيعَة ṭabīʕa, طبيعة ṭabīʕa
nature in Malay: alam semulajadi, semulajadi, tabiat, alam
nature in Indonesian: alam, kodrat
nature in Persian: طَبیعَت tabi'at, سِرِشْت serešt, نِهاد nehâd, چِهْر čehr
nature in Thai: ธรรมชาติ tam-má-châat
nature in Vietnamese: ngoài trời, tự nhiên, nguyên thủy, tạo hóa
nature in Myanmar: သဘာဝ sa.bhawa., စရိုက် ca.ruik

Examples of nature in a sentence

The laws of nature are written in the language of mathematics.
Tectonic activity is part of nature, so there's no way to stop earthquakes.
It's not in my nature to steal.
You can't help feeling that way. It's human nature.
Power corrupts. That's just the nature of the beast.
What was the nature of your relationship with the deceased?

All 40 example sentences with nature

Synonyms of nature

Forms of nature

Noun
plural	natures
alternative form (obsolete)	natuer
Verb
third-person singular present	natures
present participle	naturing
past participle	natured
past	natured

Plural of nature: natures

Origin of 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. Also displaced native Old English hād (“nature, manner”).

Words formed from nature

Phrases with nature

38 more phrasesFewer phrases

Questions about nature

What does nature mean?: Nature means 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.
What is nature in Hindi?: Nature in Hindi is प्रकृति (prakŕti), फ़ितरत (fitrat), फितरत (phitrat). See Nature meaning in Hindi.
How do you use nature in a sentence?: The laws of nature are written in the language of mathematics.
What part of speech is nature?: Nature can be a noun, a verb or a proper noun.
How do you pronounce nature?: Nature is pronounced /ˈneɪ̯.tʃə(ɹ)/.
What is the plural of nature?: The plural of nature is natures.

Words near nature in the dictionary

Adapted from Wiktionary: nature (page history and authors); Nature (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: en-us-nature.ogg, En-uk-nature.ogg.

Cite this entry: “nature.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/nature. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.