natural science

noun

: any of the sciences (such as physics, chemistry, or biology) that deal with matter, energy, and their interrelations and transformations or with objectively measurable phenomena
natural scientist noun

Examples of natural science in a Sentence

He is interested in the natural sciences. a new approach to natural science
Recent Examples on the Web This is not to say that departments in the natural sciences are necessarily able to develop a culture free from bias. TIME, 19 Oct. 2023 My position is most definitely not the one hearkening to the Twenties that sees the natural sciences as suspect forms of cryptoideology. Rachel Cusk, Harper's Magazine, 9 Sep. 2023 Louis Agassiz, a pioneer of natural science, had traveled to South Carolina hoping to prove that different races did not share a common origin, a theory called polygenesis. Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 9 Oct. 2023 The awards are part of 960 scholarships totaling $1.6 million given to Fulbright College students in the arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences disciplines, according to a news release. Arkansas Online, 11 Oct. 2023 Plus, take a stroll through the onsite natural science and history museum. Katie Strasberg Rousso, Southern Living, 9 Oct. 2023 Despite the benefit that these tools provided, especially to researchers in the physical and natural sciences—in the study of stars, say, or molecules—scholars in other fields lamented the distorting effect on their disciplines. Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2023 Meanwhile, her 12-year-old brother, PJ, is fascinated by the wonders of natural science. Ron Charles, Washington Post, 22 Aug. 2023 This accounts for the central difference between the natural sciences and those that analyze human behavior. Jason Blakely, Harper's Magazine, 10 July 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'natural science.' 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

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of natural science was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near natural science

Cite this Entry

“Natural science.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/natural%20science. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

natural science

noun
: any of the sciences (as physics, chemistry, or biology) that deal with matter, energy, and their relationships and transformations or with measurable natural events

More from Merriam-Webster on natural science

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