| English Dictionary |
NATURAL
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| IPA (US): |  |
Dictionary entry overview: What does natural mean?
• NATURAL (noun)
The noun NATURAL has 3 senses:
1. someone regarded as certain to succeed
2. a notation cancelling a previous sharp or flat
3. (craps) a first roll of 7 or 11 that immediately wins the stake
Familiarity information: NATURAL used as a noun is uncommon.
• NATURAL (adjective)
The adjective NATURAL has 10 senses:
1. in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature
2. existing in or produced by nature; not artificial or imitation
3. existing in or in conformity with nature or the observable world; neither supernatural nor magical
4. functioning or occurring in a normal way; lacking abnormalities or deficiencies
5. (of a musical note) being neither raised nor lowered by one chromatic semitone
6. (of a parent or child) related by blood; genetically related
7. unthinking; prompted by (or as if by) instinct
8. (used especially of commodities) being unprocessed or manufactured using only simple or minimal processes
9. being talented through inherited qualities
10. free from artificiality
Familiarity information: NATURAL used as an adjective is familiar.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
Someone regarded as certain to succeed
Classified under:
Nouns denoting people
Context example:
he's a natural for the job
Hypernyms ("natural" is a kind of...):
achiever; succeeder; success; winner (a person with a record of successes)
Sense 2
Meaning:
A notation cancelling a previous sharp or flat
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Synonyms:
cancel; natural
Hypernyms ("natural" is a kind of...):
musical notation ((music) notation used by musicians)
Sense 3
Meaning:
(craps) a first roll of 7 or 11 that immediately wins the stake
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("natural" is a kind of...):
cast; roll (the act of throwing dice)
Domain category:
craps (a gambling game played with two dice; a first throw of 7 or 11 wins and a first throw of 2, 3, or 12 loses and a first throw of any other number must be repeated to win before a 7 is thrown, which loses the bet and the dice)
Sense 1
Meaning:
In accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature
Context example:
natural phenomena
Similar:
earthy (not far removed from or suggestive of nature)
Also:
natural (existing in or produced by nature; not artificial or imitation)
natural (existing in or in conformity with nature or the observable world; neither supernatural nor magical)
Attribute:
naturalness (the quality of being natural or based on natural principles)
Antonym:
unnatural (not in accordance with or determined by nature; contrary to nature)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Existing in or produced by nature; not artificial or imitation
Context example:
natural fertilizers
Similar:
unbleached; uncolored; undyed (not artificially colored or bleached)
Also:
natural (in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature)
Antonym:
artificial (contrived by art rather than nature)
Derivation:
naturalness (the likeness of a representation to the thing represented)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Existing in or in conformity with nature or the observable world; neither supernatural nor magical
Context example:
a perfectly natural explanation
Similar:
physical (according with material things or natural laws (other than those peculiar to living matter))
Antonym:
supernatural (not existing in nature or subject to explanation according to natural laws; not physical or material)
Derivation:
naturalness (the quality of being natural or based on natural principles)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Functioning or occurring in a normal way; lacking abnormalities or deficiencies
Context example:
a grandparent's natural affection for a grandchild
Similar:
normal (conforming with or constituting a norm or standard or level or type or social norm; not abnormal)
Domain category:
biological science; biology (the science that studies living organisms)
Sense 5
Meaning:
(of a musical note) being neither raised nor lowered by one chromatic semitone
Context example:
B natural
Domain category:
music (an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner)
Antonym:
flat ((of a musical note) lowered in pitch by one chromatic semitone)
sharp ((of a musical note) raised in pitch by one chromatic semitone)
Sense 6
Meaning:
(of a parent or child) related by blood; genetically related
Synonyms:
biological; natural
Context example:
natural parent
Similar:
begotten ((of offspring) generated by procreation)
Sense 7
Meaning:
Unthinking; prompted by (or as if by) instinct
Synonyms:
instinctive; natural
Context example:
offering to help was as instinctive as breathing
Similar:
self-generated; spontaneous (happening or arising without apparent external cause)
Sense 8
Meaning:
(used especially of commodities) being unprocessed or manufactured using only simple or minimal processes
Synonyms:
Context example:
bales of rude cotton
Similar:
unprocessed (not altered from an original or natural state)
Sense 9
Meaning:
Being talented through inherited qualities
Synonyms:
Context example:
an innate talent
Similar:
intelligent (having the capacity for thought and reason especially to a high degree)
Sense 10
Meaning:
Free from artificiality
Synonyms:
lifelike; natural
Context example:
a natural reaction
Similar:
unaffected (free of artificiality; sincere and genuine)
Derivation:
naturalness (the quality of being natural or based on natural principles)
Context examples
I cannot suppose that you have not the wish to love him—the natural wish of gratitude.
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
Defense against xenobiotics may be a natural function of these P-glycoproteins.
(Multidrug Resistance Gene, NCI Thesaurus)
Some of us can hardly expect, perhaps, in the natural course of things, to greet you on your return.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
A natural crotonic acid derivative extracted from Pseudomonas fluorescens.
(Mupirocin, NCI Thesaurus)
Cytolytic lymphocytes with the unique capacity of killing natural killer (NK)-resistant fresh tumor cells.
(Murine Lymphokine Activated Killer Cells, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)
The calcium salt form of mupirocin, a natural crotonic acid derivative extracted from Pseudomonas fluorescens.
(Mupirocin Calcium, NCI Thesaurus)
“Why, indeed!” said he, in his natural tone.
(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)
This is a natural rhythm—things are not always equal all the time, but rather over time.
(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)
A natural number following 999999 and preceding 1000001 and the quantity that it denotes: one thousand thousands.
(Million, NCI Thesaurus)
The antigen LEU 2A, also known as CD8, is present on a subset of natural killer (NK) lymphocytes as well as the on the human suppressor/cytotoxic T-lymphocyte subset.
(Monoclonal Antibody hLEU 2A, NCI Thesaurus)
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