French word

nature

Pronunciation

IPA/natyʁ/

Meaning

  • feminine nounnature

Example

J'aime la nature.

I like nature.

Illustration for nature (nature)

More examples

Nous allons camper en pleine nature.

We are going camping out in nature.

Core concept

The living world outside human making, with the same idea of an inner character that makes a person or thing what it is.

Common phrases

  • la nature

    the natural world

  • protéger la nature

    protect the natural world

  • en pleine nature

    out in nature

Similar words

environnement: The complete set of natural surroundings and conditions around a place or person.
paysage: The visible landforms and scenery of a natural area.
campagne: A rural region of farmland and small towns outside urban areas.
milieu: The surrounding environment or setting in which events or living things exist.

Definition in French

Mot désignant soit l'ensemble du monde naturel, soit la qualité fondamentale ou l'essence qui caractérise quelqu'un ou quelque chose.

Word origin

French inherited nature from Old French nature, ultimately from Latin natura, a form related to nasci, 'to be born', which connected birth with inherent character.

Usage tips

  • In par nature, nature means an inherent quality, while in protéger la nature it refers to the natural world.

Other meanings

  • characternoun
  • essencenoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word