noun
naturalist
A person who practices or advocates realistic portrayals of life in art or literature.
The novelist was a committed naturalist.
Etymology
Natural concerns nature or the world as it is. The artistic label identifies someone committed to depicting life through close observation and realistic detail.
More examples
- The painter worked as a naturalist rather than an idealizer.
- Several naturalists portrayed ordinary life without romantic embellishment.
- The critic compared the naturalist with more fanciful writers.
Forms
naturalist · naturalists
Similar words
- realist
- A realist also favors lifelike portrayal; naturalist can identify a particular artistic or literary approach to ordinary life and its conditions.
- romantic
- A romantic may emphasize imagination or idealization; a naturalist stresses close depiction of life.