natura Latin · revision 3681

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *ǵenh₁-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [naːˈtuː.ra], [naːˈtuː.raː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [naˈtuː.ra], [naˈtuː.ra]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''nātūra''' ''f'' (genitive nātūrae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|nascor|-tura|alt1=nāscor|t1=to be born]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) The verb is [[inh|itc-pro|*gnāsk-e/o-]], [[inh|ine-pro|*ǵn̥h₁-sk-e/o-|t=to be born]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ Ancient writers such as Isidore of Seville also derived it from the verb for “to be born”, since nature makes things be born.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is found from Plautus onwards,^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) who asks what a man must be like “with that nature and character”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its rare first sense was birth, as in Terence's “you are his father by nature, I by counsel”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016) From the conditions of birth it came to mean the natural constitution of a thing, a person's character or temperament, and natural gifts as opposed to training, as in Cicero.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ It meant nature as the power that governs the universe, as in Cicero's “it is nature that holds the whole world together”, the natural course of things, ''natura rerum'', and the physical world itself, as in Varro.^(OLD 2012) It also meant a category of being, naturalness in art, and the organs of generation.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) In medieval music it named the natural hexachord.^(LmL) English ''nature'' came from it through Old French in the late 13th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a person's character.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses ''natura pater'', “father by birth”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the power that sustains the world.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 13th century – English ''nature'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Birth.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The natural constitution, quality or essence of a thing.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|Nature]], the power that governs the world.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''natura rerum'': the natural course of things; the [[m|en|universe]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # The physical world, creation.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Character, [[m|en|temperament]], disposition.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Natural abilities.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Naturalness (in art).^(OLD 2012)

+ # A category of existence.^(OLD 2012)

+ # The organs of generation.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin, music)'' The natural [[m|en|hexachord]].^(LmL)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[nātūrābilis]]

+ * [[nātūrālis]]

+ * [[naturificatus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[nātūrālitās]]

+ * [[nātūrāliter]]

+ * [[nascor]]

+ * [[en|nature]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein distinguishes ''natura'', the disposition of the heart, from ''ingenium'', that of the mind, and both from ''indoles'', disposition as capacity for growth.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}