nature

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The physical world of plants, animals, and landscapes that people did not make.

   They spent the weekend in the mountains enjoying nature.

2. 2
   noun

   The character or personality of a person.

   It is in her nature to help anyone in trouble.

3. 3
   noun

   The basic qualities or features that make something what it is.

   It is the nature of fire to burn.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Nature entered English in the Middle Ages and ultimately belongs to the Latin word family derived from nasci, “to be born.”

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, nat…

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External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary