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nature [nature 词源字典]: nature: [13] Etymologically, someone’s nature is the qualities they were ‘born’ with. The word comes via Old French nature from Latin nātūra, a derivative of the verb nāscī ‘be born’ (source of English nation, native, etc). This originally meant simply ‘birth’, but by classical times it had developed to the ‘innate properties or qualities of something or someone’, and hence to the ‘inherent course of things’, the ‘way things are in the world’. The common English sense ‘physical world’ (as in nature study) first began to emerge in the 16th century.
=> native[nature etymology, nature origin, 英语词源]
au naturel (adj.): 1817, French, literally "in the natural state;" originally meaning "uncooked," but used euphemistically for "undressed." See natural (adj.).
back-to-nature (adj.): first attested 1915.
denaturation (n.): 1845, earlier in French and German; see denature + -ation.
denature (v.): 1878, in modern sense, from French dénaturer (Old French desnaturer "change the nature of; make unnatural"); see de- + nature. Earlier "to make unnatural" (1680s). Related: Denatured.
good-natured (adj.): 1570s, from good nature "pleasing or kind disposition" (mid-15c.), from good (adj.) + nature (n.). Related: Good-naturedly.
natural (adj.): c. 1300, naturel, "of one's inborn character; hereditary, by birth;" early 14c. as "of the world of nature (especially as opposed to man)," from Old French naturel "of nature, conforming to nature; by birth," and directly from Latin naturalis "by birth, according to nature," from natura "nature" (see nature).

From late 15c. as "not miraculous, in conformity with nature." Meaning "easy, free from affectation" is attested from c. 1600. Of things, "not artificially created," c. 1600. As a euphemism for "illegitimate, bastard" (of children), it is first recorded c. 1400, on notion of blood kinship (but not legal status).

Natural science is from late 14c.; natural law is from early 15c. Natural order "apparent order in nature" is from 1690s. Natural childbirth first attested 1933. Natural life, usually in reference to the duration of life, is from late 15c. Natural history is from 1560s (see history). To die of natural causes is from 1570s.
natural (n.): "person with a natural gift or talent," 1925, originally in prizefighting, from natural (adj.). In Middle English, the word as a noun meant "natural capacity, physical ability or power" (early 14c.), and it was common in sense "a native of a place" in Shakespeare's day. Also in 17c., "a mistress."
natural-born (adj.): 1580s, from natural (adj.) + born.
naturalism (n.): 1630s, "action based on natural instincts," from natural + -ism. In philosophy, as a view of the world and humanity's relationship to it, from 1750. As a tendency in art and literature, from 1850.
naturalist (n.): "student of plants and animals," c. 1600, from French naturaliste, from natural (see natural (adj.)). Earlier "one who studies natural, rather than spiritual, things" (1580s).
naturalistic (adj.): 1840, in reference to the doctrine of naturalism; from natural + -istic. From 1849 as "aiming for realism."
naturality (n.): 1530s, "natural character," from French naturalité, from Late Latin naturalitatem (nominative naturalitas), from Latin naturalis (see natural (adj.)). Meaning "natural feeling" is from 1620s.
naturalization (n.): 1570s, from Middle French naturalisation, from naturaliser (see naturalize).
naturalize (v.): "admit (an alien) to rights of a citizen," 1550s (implied in naturalized), from natural (adj.) in its etymological sense of "by birth" + -ize; in some instances from Middle French naturaliser, from natural. Of things, from 1620s; of plants or animals, from 1796. Related: Naturalizing.
naturally (adv.): late 13c., "inherently, intrinsically, characteristically," from natural + -ly (2). From late 14c. as "in accord with natural law;" also "normally; usually, expectedly; as a matter of course, consequently, understandably." The notion is "as a natural result." From early 15c. as "without artificial assistance, by a natural process."
naturalness (n.): "normality," early 15c., from natural (adj.) + -ness.
nature (n.): late 13c., "restorative powers of the body, bodily processes; powers of growth;" from Old French nature "nature, being, principle of life; character, essence," from Latin natura "course of things; natural character, constitution, quality; the universe," literally "birth," from natus "born," past participle of nasci "to be born," from PIE *gene- "to give birth, beget" (see genus).

From late 14c. as "creation, the universe;" also "heredity, birth, hereditary circumstance; essential qualities, innate disposition" (as in human nature); "nature personified, Mother Nature." Specifically as "material world beyond human civilization or society" from 1660s. Nature and nurture have been contrasted since 1874.
Nature should be avoided in such vague expressions as 'a lover of nature,' 'poems about nature.' Unless more specific statements follow, the reader cannot tell whether the poems have to do with natural scenery, rural life, the sunset, the untouched wilderness, or the habits of squirrels." [Strunk & White, "The Elements of Style," 3rd ed., 1979]
naturist (n.): "participant in the movement for communal nudity," 1929, from nature + -ist.
naturopathy (n.): 1901, a hybrid from comb. form of nature + -pathy. A correct formation from all-Greek elements would be *physiopathy. Related: Naturopath.
preternatural (adj.): 1570s, from Medieval Latin preternaturalis (mid-13c.), from Latin phrase praeter naturam (praeterque fatum) "beyond nature (and beyond fate)," from praeter "beyond" (see preterite) + accusative of natura "nature" (see natural). "Preternatural is used especially to note that which might have been a work of nature, but is not" [Century Dictionary].
second nature (n.): late 14c., from Latin secundum naturam "according to nature" (Augustine, Macrobius, etc.), literally "following nature;" from medieval Aristotelian philosophy, contrasted to phenomena that were super naturam ("above nature," such as God's grace), extra naturam ("outside nature"), supra naturam ("beyond nature," such as miracles), contra naturam "against nature," etc.
signature (n.): 1530s, a kind of document in Scottish law, from Middle French signature (16c.) or directly from Medieval Latin signatura "signature, a rescript," in classical Latin "the matrix of a seal," from signatus, past participle of signare "to mark with a stamp, sign" (see sign (v.)).

Meaning "one's own name written in one's own hand" is from 1570s, replacing sign-manual (early 15c.) in this sense. Musical sense of "signs placed it the beginning of a staff to indicate the key and rhythm" is from 1806. Meaning "a distinguishing mark of any kind" is from 1620s.
supernatural (adj.): early 15c. "of or given by God," from Medieval Latin supernaturalis "above or beyond nature, divine," from Latin super "above" (see super-) + natura "nature" (see nature (n.)). Originally with more of a religious sense, "of or given by God, divine; heavenly;" association with ghosts, etc., has predominated since 19c. Related: Supernaturalism.
That is supernatural, whatever it be, that is either not in the chain of natural cause and effect, or which acts on the chain of cause and effect, in nature, from without the chain. [Horace Bushnell, "Nature and the Supernatural," 1858]
supernatural (n.): 1729, "a supernatural being," from supernatural (adj.). From 1830 as "that which is above or beyond the established course of nature."
supernaturally (adv.): c. 1500, "from God or Heaven," from supernatural (adj.) + -ly (2).
unnatural (adj.): early 15c., "not in accord with physical nature," from un- (1) "not" + natural (adj.). Meaning "artificial" is attested from 1746; that of "at variance with moral standards" is from 1520s. Related: Unnaturally; unnaturalness.
connatural: "Belonging naturally; innate", Late 16th century: from late Latin connaturalis, from con- 'together'+ Latin naturalis 'natural'.
Naturphilosophie: "The theory that there is an eternal and unchanging law of nature, proceeding from the Absolute, from which all laws governing natural phenomena and forces derive", Early 19th cent.; earliest use found in Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834), poet, critic, and philosopher. From German Naturphilosophie from Natur + Philosophie.