Natured

Natured is an adjective formed from nature, used to describe an inherent temperament, disposition, or attribute believed to arise from a person or thing’s natural character. In contemporary English, the standalone form natured is uncommon and often regarded as archaic or literary. More frequently, speakers and writers use hyphenated compounds such as good-natured or ill-natured to specify a person’s temperament with clear polarity.

Etymologically, natured derives from the noun nature with the verb-like suffix -ed, a productive pattern in earlier stages of English for signaling inherent qualities or arising from one’s nature. Over time, this construction has largely given way to more precise expressions. Today, writers typically choose natural, good-natured, or ill-natured depending on the intended meaning, reserving natured for older texts or stylistic effects.

Usage guidance notes that natured by itself can convey a sense of characteristic belonging to one’s nature, but it risks ambiguity and an antiquated tone. In modern prose, phrases such as “naturally calm” or the established compounds “good-natured” / “ill-natured” are preferred for clarity and idiomatic correctness. When encountered in historical or literary contexts, natured can contribute texture or period flavor, though it is not common in contemporary everyday English.

See also: nature, natural, good-natured, ill-natured.