Natural vs. Normal — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 1, 2024
Natural pertains to elements inherent to or derived from nature, unaltered by human intervention, while normal refers to what is typical, expected, or conforms to a standard.
Difference Between Natural and Normal
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Natural aspects or entities originate from the environment or biological processes without human modification, highlighting the purity and original state of these elements. On the other hand, normal is a term used to describe conditions, behaviors, or phenomena that align with societal, statistical, or conventional expectations, indicating regularity or adherence to what is commonly observed or perceived as standard.
While natural substances or environments are valued for their untouched, pristine qualities, implying authenticity and ecological harmony, normal conditions are gauged against a backdrop of human-defined criteria, which may vary across cultures and contexts, reflecting a consensus on what is deemed usual or acceptable.
The concept of natural encompasses a wide range of phenomena, from natural landscapes untouched by urban development to organic foods grown without synthetic pesticides or genetic modification. In contrast, what is considered normal can change over time or differ significantly between societies, influenced by cultural norms, technological advancements, and evolving understandings of the world.
In discussions about health and wellness, natural remedies refer to treatments derived from natural sources, often contrasted with synthetic pharmaceuticals. Meanwhile, normal health indicators, such as a normal blood pressure range, are defined based on statistical averages and medical consensus, potentially including influences from both natural predispositions and lifestyle factors.
The appeal to nature, where natural is often equated with being inherently good or superior, showcases the positive connotations associated with natural elements. However, the concept of what is normal often carries the implication of conformity and may be used to enforce adherence to societal norms or standards, sometimes to the exclusion or detriment of what is different or atypical.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Originating from or characteristic of nature, not made or caused by humankind.
Conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected.
Key Characteristics
Unaltered by human intervention, inherent to the natural world.
Adheres to societal, statistical, or conventional standards.
Examples
Natural landscapes, organic foods.
Normal behavior, average temperature.
Contexts
Environmental, biological processes.
Societal norms, statistical averages.
Implications
Implies authenticity, ecological harmony.
Indicates regularity, conformity to expectations.
Compare with Definitions
Natural
Pertaining to elements that are part of nature and not modified by human actions.
The natural beauty of the national park draws visitors from around the world.
Normal
Reflecting what is typical, expected, or conforms to a standard within a society or group.
It’s normal for temperatures to rise during the summer months.
Natural
Used in contexts like natural resources or natural foods, emphasizing their origin.
The label promotes the product as made with 100% natural ingredients.
Normal
Can be neutral or carry implications of conformity, depending on context.
The patient’s test results are all within normal ranges.
Natural
Often viewed positively, suggesting purity and ecological integrity.
Consumers increasingly prefer natural ingredients in their food products.
Normal
Can vary widely across different cultures, societies, and time periods.
What is considered normal attire varies significantly around the world.
Natural
Does not change based on societal norms but may be influenced by environmental factors.
Natural disasters, while devastating, are part of the Earth’s natural processes.
Normal
Applies to behaviors, conditions, or phenomena considered standard or typical.
In many cultures, shaking hands is a normal greeting.
Natural
Seen as inherently valuable and often superior to artificial counterparts.
Natural remedies are popular for those seeking alternatives to conventional medicine.
Normal
May be viewed as a measure of acceptability or desirability, often based on majority rule.
There’s a growing movement to challenge what is considered normal and embrace diversity.
Natural
Present in or produced by nature
A natural pearl.
Normal
Conforming with, adhering to, or constituting a norm, standard, pattern, level, or type; typical
Normal room temperature.
One's normal weight.
Normal diplomatic relations.
Natural
Of, relating to, or concerning nature
A natural environment.
Normal
(Biology) Functioning or occurring in a natural way; lacking observable abnormalities or deficiencies.
Natural
Not acquired; inherent
Love of power is natural to some people.
Normal
Relating to or designating the normality of a solution.
Natural
Having a particular character by nature
A natural leader.
Normal
Abbr. n Designating an aliphatic hydrocarbon having an acyclic unbranched chain of carbon atoms.
Natural
(Biology) Not produced or changed artificially; not conditioned
Natural immunity.
A natural reflex.
Normal
Being at right angles; perpendicular.
Natural
Characterized by spontaneity and freedom from artificiality, affectation, or inhibitions.
Normal
Perpendicular to the direction of a tangent line to a curve or a tangent plane to a surface.
Natural
Not altered, treated, or disguised
Natural coloring.
Natural produce.
Normal
Relating to or characterized by average intelligence or development.
Natural
Faithfully representing nature or life.
Normal
Free from mental illness; sane.
Natural
Expected and accepted
“In Willie's mind marriage remained the natural and logical sequence to love” (Duff Cooper).
Normal
The usual, expected, or standard state, form, amount, or degree
Temperatures have been above normal for this time of year.
Natural
Established by moral certainty or conviction
Natural rights.
Normal
(Mathematics) A perpendicular, especially a perpendicular to a line tangent to a plane curve or to a plane tangent to a space curve.
Natural
Being in a state regarded as primitive, uncivilized, or unregenerate.
Normal
According to norms or rules or to a regular pattern.
Organize the data into third normal form.
Natural
Related genetically
The natural parents of the child.
Normal
(mathematics) Adhering to or being what is considered natural or regular in a particular field or context:
Natural
Born to parents who have never been married to each other
The natural son of the king.
Normal
Usual, healthy; not sick or ill or unlike oneself.
John is feeling normal again.
Natural
(Mathematics) Of or relating to positive integers, sometimes including zero.
Normal
Teaching teachers how to teach to certain norms
My grandmother attended Mankato State Normal School.
Natural
Not sharped or flatted.
Normal
(chemistry) Of, relating to, or being a solution containing one equivalent weight of solute per litre of solution.
Natural
Having no sharps or flats.
Normal
(organic chemistry) Describing a straight chain isomer of an aliphatic hydrocarbon, or an aliphatic compound in which a substituent is in the 1- position of such a hydrocarbon.
Natural
Relating to hair that is allowed to remain in an unaltered state
“Many tweets also attacked double standards that exist regarding black women's hair. Wearing extensions and weaves can be seen as traitorous or insecure, while wearing hair in a natural or traditionally African-inspired style ... can result in mocking criticism” (Mary Emily O'Hara).
Normal
In which all parts of an object vibrate at the same frequency normal mode]].
Natural
One having all the qualifications necessary for success
You are a natural for this job.
Normal
In the default position, set for the most frequently used route.
Natural
One suited by nature for a certain purpose or function
She is a natural at mathematics.
Normal
(geometry) Perpendicular to a tangent of a curve or derivative of a surface.
The interior normal vector of an ideal perfect sphere will always point toward the center, and the exterior normal vector directly away, and both will always be co-linear with the ray whose' tip ends at the point of intersection, which is the intersection of all three sets of points.
Natural
The sign (♮) placed before a note to cancel a preceding sharp or flat.
Normal
(geometry) A line or vector that is perpendicular to another line, surface, or plane.
Natural
A note so affected.
Normal
A person who is healthy, normal, as opposed to one who is morbid.
Natural
A yellowish gray to pale orange yellow.
Normal
A person who is normal, who fits into mainstream society, as opposed to those who live alternative lifestyles.
Natural
(Games) A combination in certain card and dice games that wins immediately.
Normal
The usual state.
His workload is now back to normal.
Heavy workload is the new normal.
Natural
Existing in nature.
Normal
According to an established norm, rule, or principle; conformed to a type, standard, or regular form; performing the proper functions; not abnormal; regular; natural; analogical.
Deviations from the normal type.
Natural
Existing in the nature of a person or thing; innate, not acquired or learned.
Normal
According to a square or rule; perpendicular; forming a right angle; as, a line normal to the base. Specifically: Of or pertaining to a normal.
Natural
Normally associated with a particular person or thing; inherently related to the nature of a thing or creature.
The species will be under threat if its natural habitat is destroyed.
Normal
Standard; original; exact; typical.
Natural
As expected; reasonable, normal; naturally arising from the given circumstances.
It's natural for business to be slow on Tuesdays.
His prison sentence was the natural consequence of a life of crime.
Normal
Any perpendicular.
Natural
Formed by nature; not manufactured or created by artificial processes.
Normal
A straight line or plane drawn from any point of a curve or surface so as to be perpendicular to the curve or surface at that point.
Natural
Having an innate ability to fill a given role or profession, or display a specified character.
Normal
Something regarded as a normative example;
The convention of not naming the main character
Violence is the rule not the exception
His formula for impressing visitors
Natural
(maths) Designating a standard trigonometric function of an angle, as opposed to the logarithmic function.
Normal
Conforming with or constituting a norm or standard or level or type or social norm; not abnormal;
Serve wine at normal room temperature
Normal diplomatic relations
Normal working hours
Normal word order
Normal curiosity
The normal course of events
Natural
(music) Neither sharp nor flat. Denoted ♮.
There's a wrong note here: it should be C natural instead of C sharp.
Normal
In accordance with scientific laws
Natural
Containing no artificial or man-made additives; especially (of food) containing no colourings, flavourings or preservatives.
Natural food is healthier than processed food.
Normal
Being approximately average or within certain limits in e.g. intelligence and development;
A perfectly normal child
Of normal intelligence
The most normal person I've ever met
Natural
Pertaining to a decoration that preserves or enhances the appearance of the original material; not stained or artificially coloured.
Normal
Forming a right angle
Natural
Pertaining to a fabric still in its undyed state, or to the colour of undyed fabric.
Natural
(dice) Pertaining to a dice roll before bonuses or penalties have been applied to the result.
Natural
(bodybuilding) Not having used anabolic steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs.
Natural
(bridge) Bidding in an intuitive way that reflects one's actual hand.
Natural
(algebra) Closed under submodules, direct sums, and injective hulls.
Natural
Pertaining to birth or descent; native.
Natural
Having a given status (especially of authority) by virtue of birth.
Natural
Related genetically but not legally to one's father; born out of wedlock, illegitimate.
Natural
Related by birth; genetically related.
Natural
A native inhabitant of a place, country etc.
Natural
(music) A note that is not or is no longer to be modified by an accidental.
Natural
(music) The symbol ♮ used to indicate such a natural note.
Natural
One with an innate talent at or for something.
He's a natural on the saxophone.
Natural
An almost white colour, with tints of grey, yellow or brown; originally that of natural fabric.
Natural
(archaic) One with a simple mind; a fool or idiot.
Natural
One's life.
Natural
A hairstyle for people with Afro-textured hair in which the hair is not straightened or otherwise treated.
Natural
Someone who has not used anabolic steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs.
Natural
(craps) A roll of two dice with a score of 7 or 11 on the comeout roll.
Natural
Naturally; in a natural manner.
Natural
Fixed or determined by nature; pertaining to the constitution of a thing; belonging to native character; according to nature; essential; characteristic; innate; not artificial, foreign, assumed, put on, or acquired; as, the natural growth of animals or plants; the natural motion of a gravitating body; natural strength or disposition; the natural heat of the body; natural color.
With strong natural sense, and rare force of will.
Natural
Having to do with existing system to things; dealing with, or derived from, the creation, or the world of matter and mind, as known by man; within the scope of human reason or experience; not supernatural; as, a natural law; natural science; history, theology.
I call that natural religion which men might know . . . by the mere principles of reason, improved by consideration and experience, without the help of revelation.
Natural
Conformed to truth or reality
Natural
Having the character or sentiments properly belonging to one's position; not unnatural in feelings.
To leave his wife, to leave his babes, . . . He wants the natural touch.
Natural
Connected by the ties of consanguinity.
Natural
Begotten without the sanction of law; born out of wedlock; illegitimate; bastard; as, a natural child.
Natural
Of or pertaining to the lower or animal nature, as contrasted with the higher or moral powers, or that which is spiritual; being in a state of nature; unregenerate.
The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God.
Natural
Belonging to, to be taken in, or referred to, some system, in which the base is 1; - said of certain functions or numbers; as, natural numbers, those commencing at 1; natural sines, cosines, etc., those taken in arcs whose radii are 1.
Natural
Produced by natural organs, as those of the human throat, in distinction from instrumental music.
Natural
Existing in nature or created by the forces of nature, in contrast to production by man; not made, manufactured, or processed by humans; as, a natural ruby; a natural bridge; natural fibers; a deposit of natural calcium sulfate. Opposed to artificial, man-made, manufactured, processed and synthetic.
Natural
Not processed or refined; in the same statre as that existing in nature; as, natural wood; natural foods.
Natural
A native; an aboriginal.
Natural
Natural gifts, impulses, etc.
Natural
One born without the usual powers of reason or understanding; an idiot.
Natural
A character [
Natural
A person who has an innate talent that makes success in some specific endeavor, such as sports, much easier than for others; as, Pele was a natural in soccer.
Natural
Someone regarded as certain to succeed;
He's a natural for the job
Natural
A notation cancelling a previous sharp or flat
Natural
(craps) a first roll of 7 or 11 that immediately wins the stake
Natural
In accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature;
A very natural development
Our natural environment
Natural science
Natural resources
Natural cliffs
Natural phenomena
Natural
Existing in or produced by nature; not artificial or imitation;
A natural pearl
Natural gas
Natural silk
Natural blonde hair
A natural sweetener
Natural fertilizers
Natural
Existing in or in conformity with nature or the observable world; neither supernatural nor magical;
A perfectly natural explanation
Natural
Functioning or occurring in a normal way; lacking abnormalities or deficiencies;
It's the natural thing to happen
Natural immunity
A grandparent's natural affection for a grandchild
Natural
Of a key containing no sharps or flats;
B natural
C sharp
Natural
Unthinking; prompted by (or as if by) instinct;
A cat's natural aversion to water
Offering to help was as instinctive as breathing
Natural
(used especially of commodities) in the natural unprocessed condition;
Natural yogurt
Natural produce
Raw wool
Raw sugar
Bales of rude cotton
Natural
Related by blood; not adopted;
Natural parent
Natural
Being talented through inherited qualities;
A natural leader
A born musician
An innate talent
Natural
Unaffected and natural looking;
A lifelike pose
A natural reaction
Common Curiosities
What distinguishes something as natural?
Something is distinguished as natural if it exists in or is caused by nature without human intervention.
Why might something be normal but not natural?
Something might be normal due to societal acceptance or statistical prevalence but not natural if it involves human modification or is not inherent to nature.
Is natural always better than artificial?
While natural is often perceived as better due to its purity and ecological benefits, this is not universally true and depends on context, especially considering safety, efficacy, and sustainability.
Why is it important to distinguish between natural and normal?
Distinguishing between the two is important for understanding the origin, implications, and value of different elements, practices, or phenomena, especially in decision-making related to health, environmental conservation, and social norms.
How is normal defined in society?
Normal is defined as what conforms to the usual, typical, or expected standards in a society or community.
Can environmental changes affect what is considered natural?
Environmental changes can affect ecosystems and species, potentially altering what is considered natural in terms of climate patterns, landscapes, and biodiversity.
What challenges arise from differing views on what’s natural or normal?
Differing views can lead to debates over ethics, sustainability, health practices, and cultural acceptance, requiring dialogue and often regulation to address conflicts.
Are all natural products safe for consumption?
Not all natural products are safe for consumption; natural substances can also be toxic or harmful, highlighting the need for informed choices.
Can natural elements be considered abnormal?
Yes, natural elements can be considered abnormal if they deviate from what is typically observed or expected in the natural world.
How does culture affect perceptions of normal?
Culture significantly influences what behaviors, values, and practices are considered normal, reflecting the diversity of societal standards and expectations.
Can the definition of normal change over time?
Yes, what is considered normal can change over time as societal values, knowledge, and technology evolve.
Is it possible for norms to vary within the same society?
Yes, norms can vary within the same society due to differences in subcultures, regions, or demographic groups, reflecting diversity in beliefs and practices.
How does globalization impact concepts of normal?
Globalization can homogenize certain norms across cultures while also highlighting and preserving cultural differences, affecting global perceptions of normalcy.
How do personal experiences influence one’s perception of normal?
Personal experiences, including upbringing, education, and social interactions, significantly shape an individual’s perception of what is considered normal, influencing attitudes and behaviors.
What role does technology play in shaping our understanding of what’s normal?
Technology influences our understanding of normal by introducing new standards and possibilities, altering communication, behavior, and societal expectations.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
