Nature — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈnā-chər/ na·ture

Meaning & Definition of Nature

Nature (noun)

  1. the external world in its entirety
  2. natural scenery
  3. disposition, temperament

Nature (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the set of qualities that makes a person, a group of people, or a thing different from others

    "it was the grotesque nature of his stories that made them a challenge to get published in mainstream magazines"

    "her nature was such that lying was never an option for her"

    "the stoic nature of that family enables them to endure one calamity after another"

    similar: character, clay, colors, complexion, constitution, genius, personality, self, tone
    related: distinctiveness, distinctness, individuality, singularity, uniqueness, attribute, characteristic, earmark, essentiality, feature, flavor, hallmark, mark, point, property, savor, stamp, trait, disposition, grain, sort, temper, temperament, composition, makeup, essence, interior, interiority, soul, spirit, metal, stuff, substance, habit, way

  2. that part of the physical world that is removed from human habitation

    "needed to get out of the office and back to nature in order to clear his head"

    similar: open, open air, outdoors, out-of-doors, wild, wilderness
    related: backwoods, bush, country, frontier, hinterland, sticks, up-country, outside, without, badland, barren, desert, waste, wasteland

  3. a number of persons or things that are grouped together because they have something in common

    "group together anything round: buttons, lids, coins, and other things of that nature"

    similar: breed, class, description, feather, genre, ilk, kidney, kind, like, manner, order, sort, species, strain, stripe, type, variety
    related: model, sample, specimen, bracket, bunch, category, division, family, grade, group, grouping, lot, persuasion, rank(s), set, suite

  4. one's characteristic attitude or mood

    "a boy of a quiet and shy nature"

    similar: disposition, grain, temper, temperament
    related: cheer, frame, habit, humor, inclination, mode, spirit, angle, attitude, mind-set, outlook, perspective, slant, standpoint, viewpoint, emotion, feeling, heart, passion, sentiment, strain, belief, conviction, judgment, mind, notion, opinion, persuasion, view, expression, tone, vein, character, identity, individuality, makeup, mettle, personality, selfhood, self-identity, setup, responsiveness, sensibility, sensitiveness, sensitivity

  5. the quality or qualities that make a thing what it is

    "some artists maintain that color, light, and shadow are the very nature of painting"

    similar: being, essence, essentiality, quiddity, quintessence, soul, stuff, substance, name of the game
    related: heart, spirit, alpha and omega, center, core, keynote, marrow, pith, seat, embodiment, epitome, incarnation, manifestation, personification, aspect, attribute, feature, property, gist, kernel, nub

  6. the whole body of things observed or assumed

    "the belief that all of nature is controlled by an unseen Supreme Being"

    similar: cosmos, creation, macrocosm, universe, world
    related: existence, reality
    near: nothingness, void

Related Entry: Second nature (noun)

Second nature is a different word from Nature. The synonyms below are for second nature, not for nature.

  1. a usual manner of behaving or doing

    "speaking and thinking in Japanese simply became second nature to her during the years she spent in Kyoto"

    similar: custom, fashion, habit, habitude, pattern, practice, ritual, trick, way, wont
    related: addiction, disposition, bent, inclination, proclivity, set, tendency, tenor, turn, bag, convention, form, mode, style, usage, use, deportment, manners, mores, drill, groove, jog trot, regime, regimen, rote, routine, rut, affectation, airs, pose, attribute, characteristic, mark, trait, eccentricity, kink, oddity, peculiarity, quirk, singularity, tic

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Nature

The most common words with a similar meaning to Nature:

character, clay, colors, complexion, constitution, genius, personality, self, tone, open, open air, outdoors, out-of-doors, wild, wilderness, breed, class, description, feather, genre, ilk, kidney, kind, like, manner, order, sort, species, strain, stripe, type, variety, disposition, grain, temper, temperament, being, essence, essentiality, quiddity

Related Words for Nature

distinctiveness, distinctness, individuality, singularity, uniqueness, attribute, characteristic, earmark, feature, flavor, hallmark, mark, point, property, savor, stamp, trait, composition, makeup, interior, interiority, spirit, metal, habit, way, backwoods, bush, country, frontier, hinterland

Near Antonyms of Nature

nothingness, void

Origin & Etymology of Nature

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin natura, from natus, past participle of nasci to be born nation

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Nature

Words & Phrases Containing Nature

nature preserve, nature reserve, nature trail, call of nature, crime against nature, force of nature, freak of nature, human nature, Mother Nature

Frequently Asked Questions about Nature

What does "Nature" mean?

"Nature" means the external world in its entirety. As a noun, it is defined as: the external world in its entirety. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Nature"?

Other words for "Nature" include character, clay, colors, complexion, constitution, genius, personality and self. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Nature" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Nature"?

There are 159 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Nature". Common alternatives include character, clay, colors, complexion, constitution, genius, personality, self, tone and open.

How do you use "Nature" in a sentence?

Examples of "Nature" in a sentence: "it was the grotesque nature of his stories that made them a challenge to get published in mainstream magazines"; "her nature was such that lying was never an option for her"; "the stoic nature of that family enables them to endure one calamity after another".

Is "Nature" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Nature" is a noun.

Is "Nature" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Nature" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Nature"?

"Nature" is pronounced /ˈnā-chər/ and divided into syllables as na·ture.

What is the origin of the word "Nature"?

"Nature" comes from Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin natura, from natus, past participle of nasci to be born nation. First known use: 14th century.