# natural

/ˈnætʃɝəɫ/ (US) · /nˈætʃəɹəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/natural
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. from nature

adjective · CEFR A2

found in nature and not made or caused by people.

For teachers: existing in or formed by nature; not artificial or synthetic.

- The park is full of natural beauty, with tall trees and a clean river.
- The researchers focused on natural habitats that had remained undisturbed by industrial development for over a century.

### 2. normal or expected

adjective · CEFR B1

normal and what you would expect in a specific situation.

For teachers: happening or existing as part of the usual course of things; expected or appropriate.

- It is natural to feel nervous before you give a big speech.
- Given the circumstances, a period of adjustment is a natural response to such a significant career transition.

### 3. not acted or fake

adjective · CEFR B2

behaving in a relaxed way that is not fake or forced.

For teachers: having or showing a relaxed and unaffected manner; free from artificiality.

- She has a very natural way of speaking that makes people trust her.
- The actor delivered a remarkably natural performance, avoiding the melodramatic flourishes typical of the genre.

### 4. a talented person

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

someone who is good at something without having to try very hard.

For teachers: a person having an innate talent or skill for a particular activity.

- You should see him on the football pitch; he is a total natural.
- Despite having never picked up a violin before, she proved to be a natural, mastering the basic scales within a single afternoon.

### 5. music notation

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a note that is not sharp or flat, or the sign used to show this.

For teachers: a note that is neither a sharp nor a flat; also the symbol used to cancel a previous accidental.

- The piece changes key, so make sure you play the B natural in this bar.
- The composer uses a series of naturals to strip away the chromatic tension established in the opening movement.

### 6. natural number

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a whole number like 1, 2, or 3.

For teachers: a positive integer, or a non-negative integer depending on the definition used.

- In this math problem, we are only looking for answers that are naturals.
- The proof relies on the induction principle, which is a fundamental property of the set of naturals.

## Examples

- She is a natural at playing the piano.
- I was nervous about my first public speech, but my teacher told me I was a natural on stage.
- While most students struggled with the complex logic of the new software, he proved to be a natural, navigating the interface as if he had designed it himself.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.