φύσις
Alt. φύ^σις, εως,
Etym. φύω
I. "the nature, natural qualities, powers, constitution, condition", of a person or thing, Od., Hdt., attic
2. like φυή, "form, stature", ἢ νόον ἤ τοι φύσιν either in mind or "outward form", Pind.; τὸν δὲ Λάϊον, φύσιν τίν᾽ εἶχε, φράζε Soph.; τὴν ἐμὴν ἰδὼν φύσιν Ar.
3. of the mind, one's "nature, natural bent, powers, character", Soph., etc.
4. often periphr., πέτρου φύσιν σύ γ᾽ ὀργάνειας, i. e. would'st provoke a stone, id=Soph.; ἡ φ. αὐτοῦ for αὐτός, Plat.
II. "nature", i. e. "the order or law of nature", κατὰ φύσιν πεφυκέναι to be made so "by nature, naturally", Hdt., etc.;—opp. to παρὰ φύσιν, Eur., Thuc.; so, προδότης ἐκ φύσεως a traitor "by nature", Aeschin.:—so, in dat. φύσει, "by nature, naturally", Ar., etc.:—f4usin 24exei, c. inf., it is "natural" that.., Hdt., Plat.
2. "origin, birth", φύσει γεγονότες εὖ Hdt.; φ. νεώτερος Soph.; so, τὴν φύσιν Xen.
III. "nature, universe", Plat., Arist.
IV. as a concrete term, "creatures, animals" (cf. φύστις), θνητὴ φ. man "kind", Soph.; πόντου εἰναλία φ. the "creatures" of the sea, id=Soph.; θήλεια φ. woman- "kind", Xen.; οἱ τοιαῦται φύσεις such "creatures" as these, Isocr.
V. "a nature, kind, sort", βιοτῆς φύσις Soph.: "species", Xen.
VI. "sex", Soph., Thuc.