Origin: Latin suffix -al
Natural has 16 different meanings across 2 categories:
(craps) a first roll of 7 or 11 that immediately wins the stake
"The shooter screamed in joy after rolling a seven on his very first turn, securing an instant win."
A native inhabitant of a place, country etc.
"The local guide explained that the bears are not just visitors but true naturals of these mountain forests."
In plain English: A natural is someone who has an innate talent for something without needing much training.
"The doctor prescribed a natural for his chronic back pain."
Usage: Use "natural" as a noun to refer to a person who was born in a specific place or belongs to a particular group by birth rather than adoption. Do not use it this way when describing an object's origin, such as saying a tree is a natural of the forest.
in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature
"a very natural development"
"our natural environment"
"natural science"
"natural resources"
"natural cliffs"
"natural phenomena"
existing in or produced by nature; not artificial or imitation
"a natural pearl"
"natural gas"
"natural silk"
"natural blonde hair"
"a natural sweetener"
"natural fertilizers"
existing in or in conformity with nature or the observable world; neither supernatural nor magical
"a perfectly natural explanation"
functioning or occurring in a normal way; lacking abnormalities or deficiencies
"it's the natural thing to happen"
"natural immunity"
"a grandparent's natural affection for a grandchild"
(of a musical note) being neither raised nor lowered by one chromatic semitone
"a natural scale"
"B natural"
(of a parent or child) related by blood; genetically related
"biological child"
"natural parent"
unthinking; prompted by (or as if by) instinct
"a cat's natural aversion to water"
"offering to help was as instinctive as breathing"
That exists and evolved within the confines of an ecosystem.
"The jaguar, a native predator that has evolved perfectly within the dense rainforest ecosystem, hunts silently through the canopy."
In plain English: Natural means something that exists without being made by people or created artificially.
"The waterfall looked completely natural in its setting."
Usage: Use "natural" to describe things that occur in nature without human intervention, such as a wild animal or an unadulterated resource. Avoid using it to mean "innate" or "instinctive," which should instead be expressed with words like "inherent" or "instinctual."
Naturally; in a natural manner.
"She smiled naturally when she saw her old friend at the coffee shop."
In plain English: Natural means something that exists without being made by people.
"The children ran naturally to the playground when school let out."
Usage: Use "naturally" as an adverb to mean "in a natural manner" or "without effort," such as when someone speaks naturally or behaves naturally around friends. Avoid confusing it with the adjective "natural," which describes inherent qualities rather than describing how an action is performed.
The word natural comes from the Latin nātūrālis, which is derived from nātus meaning "born." It entered English through Middle English and Old French, replacing an earlier native term.