“Second nature” refers to a skill that has been practiced so much it seems innate. It can describe a talent, learning a language, or using consumer products. The phrase comes from an ancient proverb and Aristotelian philosophy.
Second nature is a phrase that refers to an acquired skill that has been practiced for so long that it seems natural or innate. It can be used to describe a person for whom unusual things have become routine through repetition, as in the case of a mother holding a fussy toddler as she prepares dinner and folds the laundry. The idiom is also often used when referring to a particular talent that has been developed over time, such as a skilled quarterback throwing touchdowns. It can also refer to learning a foreign language. Second nature has also been adopted by a range of consumer products, from baby bottles to pet training devices.
The expression is a shortened form of an ancient proverb, custom becomes second nature, which was first recorded around AD 1390. It refers to the fact that repeating or practicing repeatedly an initially difficult task makes it seem more and more difficult. natural. It also suggests that the best way to master a new skill is through intense practice, and that anything, no matter how unfamiliar at first, can be learned through repetition. Even something that has become second nature is usually done repeatedly over a long period of time, such as a worker performing a specific task on an assembly line. Second nature can also be used to describe an ability that may not be obvious, such as a very small person who is able to lift heavy objects.
The phrase comes from the Latin secondum naturam, which means according to nature. The term was first used in Aristotelian philosophy to contrast phenomena described by the Latin as super naturum (above nature), contra naturum (against nature), or supra naturum (beyond nature). These were generally concepts, including divine miracles, the occult, and others, that were believed to exist outside the confines of the natural world.
A number of consumer products have also adopted the phrase second nature. It is a brand of baby bottles that claims to be the closest to breastfeeding, allowing nursing mothers to use baby bottles as well. A number of products related to landscaping and gardening have also adopted the name, perhaps to emphasize organic and environmentally friendly practices. It is also the title of a 2003 film starring Alec Baldwin, in which the main character struggles to remember his forgotten past after waking up from his coma.
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