natural-history
UK[ˌnætʃrəl ˈhɪstri]US[ˌnætʃrəl ˈhɪstəri]
n
The study of animals, plants, and minerals, especially as a popular pursuit rather than a formal science.
n
A book or account describing the facts of nature, especially animals and plants.
Morpheme Breakdown
natural
history
natural
history
Etymology
The term 'natural history' is a compound formed from two Latin-derived words. 'Natural' originates from natura, which in Latin broadly meant 'birth, character, the course of things', evolving to signify the inherent physical world. 'History' stems from the Greek historia, meaning 'inquiry, knowledge acquired by investigation', which passed into Latin. When combined in Early Modern English, the phrase literally meant an 'account or inquiry into nature'. This reflected a pre-disciplinary approach to studying all natural objects—animals, plants, rocks—through observation and description, a pursuit that logically preceded the specialized modern sciences of biology, geology, and zoology.
Analysis
Structure: natural + history
- natural: From Latin naturalis (of nature), from natura (birth, nature). In this compound, it functions as an adjective modifying the noun 'history', specifying the type of history.
- history: From Latin historia (narrative, account, story). In this compound, it functions as a noun meaning a systematic account or study.
Examples
In the 18th century, gentlemen often engaged in natural history, collecting and cataloging specimens from their travels.
Gilbert White's "The Natural History of Selborne" is a classic work detailing the flora and fauna of his parish.
The museum's natural history collection includes fossils, insects, and preserved plants from around the globe.