naturalism Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun (philosophy) the doctrine that the world can be understood in scientific terms without recourse to spiritual or supernatural explanations
  2. noun an artistic movement in 19th century France; artists and writers strove for detailed realistic and factual description
    realism.

WordNet

Nat"u*ral*ism noun
Etymology
Cf. F. naturalisme.
Definitions
  1. A state of nature; conformity to nature.
  2. (Metaph.) The doctrine of those who deny a supernatural agency in the miracles and revelations recorded in the Bible, and in spiritual influences; also, any system of philosophy which refers the phenomena of nature to a blind force or forces acting necessarily or according to fixed laws, excluding origination or direction by one intelligent will.

Webster 1913