Etymology
1. c.1300, "essential qualities, innate disposition," also "creative power in the material world," from O.Fr.
nature, from L.
natura "course of things, natural character, the universe," lit. "birth," from
natus "born," pp. of
nasci "to be born," from PIE
*gene- "to give birth, beget" (see genus). Original sense is in
human nature. Meaning "inherent, dominating power or impulse" of a person or thing is from c.1386. Contrasted with
art since 1704.
Nature and nurture have been contrasted since 1874.
Nature should be avoided in such vague expressions as 'a lover of nature,' 'poems about nature.' Unless more specific statements follow, the reader cannot tell whether the poems have to do with natural scenery, rural life, the sunset, the untouched wilderness, or the habits of squirrels." [Strunk & White, "The Elements of Style," 3rd ed., 1979]
Naturist "participant in the movement for communal nudity" is from 1929.
2. Etymology tree
3. Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁-
4. Proto-Indo-European *ǵn̥h₁-sḱé-ti
5. Proto-Italic *gnāskōrder.
6. Latin nāscor
7. Proto-Indo-European *-tew-?
8. Proto-Indo-European *-r-eh₂?
9. Latin -tūra
10. Latin nātūralbor.
11. Old French naturebor.
12. Middle English nature
13. English nature
14. From Middle English nature, natur, from Old French nature, from Latin nātūra (“birth, origin, natural constitution or quality”), future participle from perfect passive participle (g)natus (“born”), from deponent verb (g)nasci (“to be born, originate”) + future participle suffix -urus.
15. Displaced native Middle English erd (“character, nature, disposition”) from Old English eard (compare German Art (“nature, character, kind, type”)); and Middle English kynde (“character, disposition, nature”) from Old English ġecynd. More at kind. Also displaced native Old English hād (“nature, manner”).