second nature

noun

A mindset, skill, or type of behavior so ingrained through habit or practice that it seems natural, automatic, or without a basis in conscious thought.

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Meanings

nounsecond nature (uncountable)
  1. idiomaticuncountableA mindset, skill, or type of behavior so ingrained through habit or practice that it seems natural, automatic, or without a basis in conscious thought.

    For many video gamers, juggling a joystick and a pizza is second nature.

    2005 April 3, Jeremy Caplan, “Game On, Hold The Pepperoni”, in Time
    2 more examples

    But habit had made the endurance of this load of panoply a second nature, both to the knight and his gallant charger.

    1825, Sir Walter Scott, chapter 1, in The Talisman

    Ashe Marson had realized that he must forego those morning exercises which had become a second nature to him.

    1915, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter 1, in Something New

Translations

Czech druhá přirozenost
  • druhá přirozenostmindset
Finnish toinen luonto (also see veressä)
  • toinen luonto (also see veressä)mindset
French seconde nature
  • seconde naturemindset
German zur zweiten Natur werden
  • zur zweiten Natur werdenmindset
Hebrew טֶבַע שֵׁנִי
  • טֶבַע שֵׁנִי (téva shení)mindset
Polish druga natura
  • druga naturamindset
Russian втора́я нату́ра
  • втора́я нату́ра (vtorája natúra)mindset
Spanish segunda naturaleza, natural
  • segunda naturalezamindset
  • naturalmindset
  • instintivomindset
  • automáticomindset
  • intuitivomindset
  • algo naturalmindset
Tamil கை வந்த கலை
  • கை வந்த கலை (kai vanta kalai)mindset
Cite this entry
APA

second nature. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/second%20nature

MLA

“second nature.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/second%20nature. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “second nature,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/second%20nature.

Source: second nature on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.