Where does “naturalist” come from?
Naturalist derives from English natural combined with Latin -ista, from Ancient Greek -ιστής (one who practices), from Ancient Greek -ίζω (to practice), ultimately tracing to Latin nascor (to be born), which also produced Latin -alis (relating to).
naturalist (English): A natural philosopher; a scientist; A person who...
Definitions
- A natural philosopher; a scientist; A person who...
Ancestry of “naturalist”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | natural | That exists and evolved within the confines of an... |
| 2 | Middle English | natural | intrinsic, fundamental, basic; relating to... |
| 3 | Old French | natural | natural |
| 4 | Latin | nātūrālis | natural by birth, legitimate |
| 5 | Latin | nātūra | the nature, quality, substance or essence of a thing |
| 6 | Latin | nātus | born, arisen, made |
| 7 | Latin | gnātus | — |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | gnātos | born |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵn̥h₁tós | begotten, produced |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵenh₁- | to produce, to beget, to give birth |