natural

Universal Words adjective, noun adjective in nature 1 [onlybeforenoun] existing in nature; not made or caused by human beings: natural phenomena / disasters * the natural world (= of trees, rivers, animals and birds) * a country's natural resources (= its coal, oil, forests, etc.) * wildlife in its natural habitat * natural yogurt (= with no flavour added) * My hair soon grew back to its natural colour (= after being dyed). * The clothes are available in warm natural colours. compareSUPERNATURAL expected 2 normal; as you would expect: to die of natural causes (= not by violence, but normally, of old age) * He thought social inequality was all part of the natural order of things. * She was the natural choice for the job. compareUNNATURAL behaviour 3 used to describe behaviour that is part of the character that a person or an animal was born with: the natural agility of a cat * the natural processes of language learning * It's only natural to worry about your children. * When body temperature is beginning to fall there is a natural tendency to fall asleep. * It was my natural instinct to defend myself. ability 4 [onlybeforenoun] having an ability that you were born with: He's a natural leader. relaxed 5 relaxed and not pretending to be sb/sth different: It's difficult to look natural when you're feeling nervous. parents / children 6 [onlybeforenoun] (of parents or their children) related by blood: His natural mother was unable to care for him so he was raised by an aunt. 7 [onlybeforenoun] (old use or formal) (of a son or daughter) born to parents who are not married SYNILLEGITIMATE: She was a natural daughter of King James II. based on human reason 8 [onlybeforenoun] based on human reason alone: natural justice / law in music 9 used after the name of a note to show that the note is neither SHARP nor FLAT. The written symbol is (natural): B natural noun person 1 ~ (for sth) a person who is very good at sth without having to learn how to do it, or who is perfectly suited for a particular job: She took to flying like a natural. * He's a natural for the role. in music 2 a normal musical note, not its SHARP or FLAT form. The written symbol is (natural).