natural resource
B2Formal/Neutral
Definition
Meaning
A material or substance that occurs naturally in the environment and can be used by humans for economic gain or survival, such as water, minerals, forests, or fossil fuels.
The term can be used metaphorically for any inherent asset or quality of a person, place, or group (e.g., a talented individual as a 'human resource'). It also encompasses the concept of ecosystem services (e.g., clean air, pollination) and renewable versus non-renewable resources.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term inherently combines the environmental ('natural') with the economic or utilitarian ('resource'), often placing it in discussions of sustainability, conservation, and management. It is most commonly used in the plural 'natural resources'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Both use the same term. Minor spelling preference follows national conventions in related texts (e.g., 'labour' vs. 'labor').
Connotations
In both varieties, the term carries connotations of national wealth, geopolitical strategy, and environmental responsibility.
Frequency
Equally common in both academic, policy, and news contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Country/Region] + has/possesses + natural resourcesto manage/exploit/conserve + natural resourcesthe depletion/exploitation/management of + natural resourcesVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To live off the fat of the land (related concept)”
- “A resource curse (specific economic phenomenon)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Referencing costs, supply chains, and investment in extraction industries.
Academic
Used in economics, geography, environmental science, and political science to discuss sustainability, trade, and development.
Everyday
Used in news discussions about energy, climate change, or national economies.
Technical
Precisely categorized (e.g., biotic/abiotic, renewable/non-renewable, proved/probable reserves in geology).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The government plans to resource its energy transition responsibly.
- The area is poorly resourced in terms of fresh water.
American English
- The company is looking to resource its raw materials locally.
- We need to properly resource this project.
adverb
British English
- The treaty deals with resources naturally occurring in the region. (phrasal, not a direct derivative)
- N/A for a direct adverbial form.
American English
- N/A. The term does not have a standard derived adverb.
adjective
British English
- Natural-resource management is a key policy issue.
- The natural-resource sector faces new regulations.
American English
- Natural-resource economics is her field of study.
- They discussed natural-resource depletion.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Water is an important natural resource.
- Forests provide us with natural resources like wood.
- The country is rich in natural resources such as oil and gas.
- We must not waste our natural resources.
- Sustainable management of natural resources is crucial for future generations.
- The exploitation of natural resources has driven the region's economic growth.
- Geopolitical tensions often arise over control of strategic natural resources.
- The concept of natural capital reframes natural resources as assets providing ecosystem services.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine NATURE's STORE: Natural resources are the useful things nature has stored for us, like a shop (resource) run by nature (natural).
Conceptual Metaphor
NATURE IS A WAREHOUSE / A BANK ACCOUNT (resources can be depleted or managed).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'naturalnye resursy' for every context; in business English, 'commodities' or 'materials' might be more precise.
- The English term strongly implies potential for human *use*; the Russian equivalent can be used more broadly for any natural feature.
Common Mistakes
- Using singular 'resource' when the plural is more common (e.g., 'The country has rich natural resource').
- Confusing 'natural resources' with 'human resources' in compound noun phrases.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is typically NOT classified as a 'natural resource' in an economic context?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, sunlight is considered a renewable natural resource, particularly in the context of solar energy.
'Natural resources' are the unprocessed assets found in nature (e.g., iron ore, crude oil). 'Raw materials' are the basic materials from which products are made, which can be natural resources or processed inputs (e.g., steel made from iron ore).
Yes. Positively, it denotes wealth and opportunity ('a bounty of natural resources'). Negatively, it's associated with exploitation, depletion, and the 'resource curse' where resource wealth leads to economic problems.
Because we typically refer to multiple types (water, minerals, forests) collectively, or to the aggregate stock of such assets a country possesses.
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