natural history

noun

1
: a treatise on some aspect of nature
2
: the natural development of something (such as an organism or disease) over a period of time
3
: the study of natural objects especially in the field from an amateur or popular point of view

Examples of natural history in a Sentence

the natural history of bees We went to the Natural History Museum.
Recent Examples on the Web The aim is to ensure that Brazil retains control over its valuable natural history, and that local researchers play a key role in studying their country’s fossil records. Scott Travers, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024 The river's importance, its symbolism and its rich cultural and natural history means there are a lot of songs about it, spanning across decades and genres. Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2024 Emmy Award-winning naturalist Sir David Attenborough will present Asia, a seven-part natural history series about wildlife on the continent, premiering on BBC America and AMC+ in 2025. Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 11 Sep. 2024 David Attenborough & the search for authentic talent The runaway success of the BBC’s natural history fare has been driven over the decades by one man above all others, Sir David Attenborough. Max Goldbart, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for natural history 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'natural history.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of natural history was in 1534

Dictionary Entries Near natural history

Cite this Entry

“Natural history.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/natural%20history. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

natural history

noun
: the study of natural objects and especially plants and animals as they live in nature from an amateur or popular point of view

Medical Definition

natural history

noun
: the natural development of something (as an organism or disease) over a period of time
increasing knowledge of the natural histories of tumorsH. S. N. Greene

More from Merriam-Webster on natural history

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