natural
C1Formal, informal, academic, technical. A high-frequency, polysemous word used across all registers.
Definition
Meaning
Existing in or derived from nature; not made or caused by humans. Inherent, innate, or having qualities that are expected based on the essence or laws of the physical world.
Not affected or artificial; in accordance with one's character, instincts, or inherent qualities. In music: a note that is not sharp or flat. In games: a winning combination (e.g., in craps).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Highly polysemous, with meanings ranging from 'of nature' to 'expected' to 'untouched'. Often contrasted with 'artificial', 'man-made', or 'supernatural'. The positive connotation of authenticity is very strong in modern usage.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal lexical differences. Spelling of related words differs (e.g., BrE: naturalise, AmE: naturalize). The noun 'natural' for a person with innate talent is equally common.
Connotations
Largely identical. In both varieties, it strongly connotes authenticity, purity, and lack of artifice.
Frequency
Equally high-frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
It is natural (for somebody) to do somethingnatural as (something)natural in (manner/appearance)feel/look/sound naturalcome natural to somebodyVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A natural (noun: someone inherently skilled)”
- “Come natural to someone”
- “Die of natural causes”
- “Natural-born (e.g., natural-born leader)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to resources, advantages, or market forces (e.g., 'natural resources', 'natural monopoly').
Academic
Central in biology ('natural selection'), philosophy ('natural law'), and social sciences ('natural experiment').
Everyday
Describes appearance, behaviour, talent, food, and phenomena (e.g., 'She's a natural on stage', 'natural yoghurt').
Technical
In music: a note not sharp/flat; in gaming: a specific score; in computing: 'natural language processing'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A (primarily an adjective/noun). The verb is 'naturalise'.
American English
- N/A (primarily an adjective/noun). The verb is 'naturalize'.
adverb
British English
- N/A. The adverb is 'naturally'.
- She acted naturally, without any pretence.
American English
- N/A. The adverb is 'naturally'.
- The conversation flowed naturally from one topic to the next.
adjective
British English
- It's only natural to worry about your children.
- They used all-natural ingredients in the recipe.
- She has a very natural manner in front of the camera.
American English
- It's natural to feel tired after a long flight.
- We need to protect our natural resources.
- His talent for baseball is completely natural.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Fruit is a natural food.
- She has natural blonde hair.
- Wood is a natural material.
- It's natural to feel sad when you say goodbye.
- The park is a great place to enjoy the natural world.
- He's a natural at playing the piano.
- The country's economy relies heavily on its natural resources, like oil and gas.
- Her leadership style seems natural and effortless, which inspires the team.
- After years of practice, the movements felt completely natural to her.
- Darwin's theory of natural selection revolutionized biology.
- The actor's performance was praised for its naturalistic and unforced quality.
- A cynic might argue that there is no such thing as a truly natural human state, untouched by culture.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of NATURE + AL. Something that is 'natural' is of or from NATURE. If it's natural, it's in its NATURAL state.
Conceptual Metaphor
NATURAL IS GOOD / PURE / AUTHENTIC (e.g., 'natural remedies are better'), UNNATURAL IS BAD / CORRUPT.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid overusing 'naturalnyj' for 'normal' or 'typical'. In English, 'It's natural to feel nervous' ≠ 'Это натурально...' but rather 'Это нормально/естественно...'. 'Natural light' is 'дневной свет', not 'натуральный свет'. 'Natural gas' is 'природный газ'.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'natural' with 'neutral'. Using 'natural' as an adverb (use 'naturally'). Incorrect: 'He speaks natural.' Correct: 'He speaks naturally.' Overusing to mean 'normal' in all contexts.
Practice
Quiz
In the context of music, what does 'a natural' refer to?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Mostly, but not always. While it connotes purity and authenticity (positive), phrases like 'natural disaster' or 'natural predator' are neutral or negative descriptions of phenomena.
'Natural' broadly means 'from nature'. 'Organic' is more specific: in farming/food, it means grown without synthetic chemicals; in chemistry, it refers to carbon-based compounds. 'All-natural' on a label is largely unregulated, whereas 'organic' often has legal certification.
Yes. It can mean a person with a innate talent for something (e.g., 'She's a natural on the violin') or, in music, the symbol (♮) that cancels a sharp or flat.
Both are correct. 'It is natural that he is tired' (followed by a clause). 'It is natural for him to be tired' (followed by an infinitive phrase). The infinitive structure is often more common.
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