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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The company’s catalogue spans over 5,000 hours across genres from natural history to food and technology. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 June 2025 Researchers said the amphibians from this region are poorly studied, and there are still a lot of unanswered questions about their natural history, diet, predators, habitat selection, reproduction and conservation. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 3 June 2025 As funny as its title suggests, Clam Down transcends its conceit to create a personal fable of transformation, family lore, natural history, and adaptation. Literary Hub june 2, Literary Hub, 2 June 2025 Within the field of natural history, a few popular examples include the Merlin app and the iNaturalist app, both of which have millions of active observers. Bruce J. MacFadden, The Conversation, 8 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for natural history

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Natural history.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/natural%20history. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!