Online Etymology Dictionary

naturalist (n.): "student of plants and animals," c. 1600, from French naturaliste, from natural (see natural (adj.)). Earlier "one who studies natural, rather than spiritual, things" (1580s).
naturalistic (adj.): 1840, in reference to the doctrine of naturalism; from natural + -istic. From 1849 as "aiming for realism."
naturality (n.): 1530s, "natural character," from French naturalité, from Late Latin naturalitatem (nominative naturalitas), from Latin naturalis (see natural (adj.)). Meaning "natural feeling" is from 1620s.
naturalization (n.): 1570s, from Middle French naturalisation, from naturaliser (see naturalize).
naturalize (v.): "admit (an alien) to rights of a citizen," 1550s (implied in naturalized), from natural (adj.) in its etymological sense of "by birth" + -ize; in some instances from Middle French naturaliser, from natural. Of things, from 1620s; of plants or animals, from 1796. Related: Naturalizing.
naturally (adv.): late 13c., "inherently, intrinsically, characteristically," from natural + -ly (2). From late 14c. as "in accord with natural law;" also "normally; usually, expectedly; as a matter of course, consequently, understandably." The notion is "as a natural result." From early 15c. as "without artificial assistance, by a natural process."
naturalness (n.): "normality," early 15c., from natural (adj.) + -ness.
nature (n.): late 13c., "restorative powers of the body, bodily processes; powers of growth;" from Old French nature "nature, being, principle of life; character, essence," from Latin natura "course of things; natural character, constitution, quality; the universe," literally "birth," from natus "born," past participle of nasci "to be born," from PIE *gene- "to give birth, beget" (see genus).

From late 14c. as "creation, the universe;" also "heredity, birth, hereditary circumstance; essential qualities, innate disposition" (as in human nature); "nature personified, Mother Nature." Specifically as "material world beyond human civilization or society" from 1660s. Nature and nurture have been contrasted since 1874.
Nature should be avoided in such vague expressions as 'a lover of nature,' 'poems about nature.' Unless more specific statements follow, the reader cannot tell whether the poems have to do with natural scenery, rural life, the sunset, the untouched wilderness, or the habits of squirrels. [Strunk & White, "The Elements of Style," 3rd ed., 1979]
naturist (n.): "participant in the movement for communal nudity," 1929, from nature + -ist.
naturopathy (n.): 1901, a hybrid from comb. form of nature + -pathy. A correct formation from all-Greek elements would be *physiopathy. Related: Naturopath.
naufragous (adj.): "causing shipwreck," 1610s, from naufrage "shipwreck" (late 15c.), from Middle French naufrage, from Latin naufragium, from stems of navis "ship" (see naval) + frangere "to break" (see fraction) + -ous.
Naugahyde: trademark name patented (U.S.) Dec. 7, 1937, by United States Rubber Products Inc., for an artificial leather made from fabric base treated with rubber, etc. From Naugatuk, rubber-making town in Connecticut, + hyde, an arbitrary variant of hide (n.). The town name is Southern New England Algonquian *neguttuck "one tree," from *negut- "one" + *-tugk "tree."
naught (n.): mid-14c., "evil, an evil act," also " a trifle," c. 1400, "nothingness;" early 15c., "the number zero;" from Old English nawiht "nothing," literally "no whit," from na "no" (from PIE root *ne- "no, not;" see un- (1)) + wiht "thing, creature, being" (see wight).

Cognate with Old Saxon neowiht "nothing," Old High German niwiht, Gothic ni waihts. It also developed an adjectival sense in Old English, "good for nothing," which by mid-16c. had focused to "morally bad, wicked." In arithmetic, "the figure zero" from 1640s.
naughty (adj.): late 14c., nowghty, noughti "needy, having nothing," also "evil, immoral, unclean," from nought "evil, an evil act; nothingness; a trifle; insignificant person; the number zero" (from Old English nawiht "nothing;" see naught)) + -y (2).

Specific meaning "sexually promiscuous" is from 1869. The more tame main modern sense of "disobedient" (especially of children) is attested from 1630s. Related: Naughtily; naughtiness. A woman of bad character c. 1530-1750 might be called a naughty pack (also sometimes of men and later of children).
Nauru: of unknown origin; formerly known as Pleasant Island (1798). Related: Nauruan (1921).
nausea (n.): early 15c., vomiting, from Latin nausea "seasickness," from Ionic Greek nausia (Attic nautia) "seasickness, nausea, disgust," literally "ship-sickness," from naus "ship" (see naval). Despite its etymology, the word in English seems never to have been restricted to seasickness.
nauseant (n.): 1834, from Latin nauseant-, present participle stem of nauseare (see nauseate (v.)).
nauseate (v.): 1630s, "to feel sick, to become affected with nausea," from nauseat- past participle stem of Latin nauseare "to feel seasick, to vomit," also "to cause disgust," from nausea (see nausea). Related: Nauseated; nauseating; nauseatingly. In its early life it also had transitive senses of "to reject (food, etc.) with a feeling of nausea" (1640s) and "to create a loathing in, to cause nausea" (1650s). Careful writers use nauseated for "sick at the stomach" and reserve nauseous (q.v.) for "sickening to contemplate."
nauseous (adj.): c. 1600, "inclined to nausea, easily made queasy" (obsolete), from nausea + -ous. Sense of "causing nausea or squeamishness" is attested from 1610s. For distinction from nauseated see nauseate. Related: Nauseously; nauseousness.
nautical (adj.): 1550s, from -al (1) + nautic from Middle French nautique, from Latin nauticus "pertaining to ships or sailors," from Greek nautikos "seafaring, naval," from nautes "sailor," from naus "ship," from PIE *nau- (2) "boat" (see naval).
nautilus (n.): marine cephalopod, c. 1600, from Latin nautilus, in Pliny a kind of marine snail (including also squid, cuttlefish, polyps, etc.), from Greek nautilos "paper nautilus," literally "sailor," from nautes "sailor," from naus "ship" (see naval). The cephalopod formerly was thought to use its webbed arms as sails.
Navajo: Athabaskan people and language, 1780, from Spanish Apaches de Nabaju (1629), from Tewa (Tanoan) Navahu, said to mean literally "large field" or "large planted field," containing nava "field" and hu "valley." Spanish Navajo was used 17c. in reference to the area now in northwestern New Mexico.
naval (adj.): early 15c., from Old French naval (14c.) and directly from Latin navalis "pertaining to a ship or ships," from navis "ship," from PIE *nau- (2) "boat" (source also of Sanskrit nauh, accusative navam "ship, boat;" Armenian nav "ship;" Greek naus "ship," nautes "sailor;" Old Irish nau "ship;" Welsh noe "a flat vessel;" Old Norse nor "ship"). An Old English word for "naval" was scipherelic.
Navarre: a pre-Latin name, probably based on Basque nava "plain," despite the region's mountainous topography.
nave (n.1): "main part of a church," 1670s, from Medieval Latin navem (nominative navis) "nave of a church," from Latin navis "ship" (see naval), on some fancied resemblance in shape.
nave (n.2): "hub of a wheel," Old English nafu, from Proto-Germanic *nabo- (source also of Old Saxon naba, Old Norse nöf, Middle Dutch nave, Dutch naaf, Old High German naba, German Nabe), perhaps connected with the root of navel on notion of centrality (compare Latin umbilicus "navel," also "the end of a roller of a scroll," Greek omphalos "navel," also "the boss of a shield").
navel (n.): Old English nafela, nabula, from Proto-Germanic *nabalan (source also of Old Norse nafli, Danish and Swedish navle, Old Frisian navla, Middle Dutch and Dutch navel, Old High German nabalo, German Nabel), from PIE *(o)nobh- "navel" (source also of Sanskrit nabhila "navel, nave, relationship;" Avestan nafa "navel," naba-nazdishta "next of kin;" Persian naf; Latin umbilicus "navel;" Old Prussian nabis "navel;" Greek omphalos; Old Irish imbliu). For Romanic words, see umbilicus.
The cords of all link back, strandentwining cable of all flesh. [Joyce, "Ulysses"]
"Navel" words from other roots include Lithuanian bamba, Sanskrit bimba- (also "disk, sphere"), Greek bembix, literally "whirlpool." Old Church Slavonic papuku, Lithuanian pumpuras are originally "bud." Considered a feminine sexual center since ancient times, and still in parts of the Middle East, India, and Japan. In medieval Europe, it was averred that "[t]he seat of wantonness in women is the navel." [Cambridge bestiary, C.U.L. ii.4.26] Words for it in most languages have a secondary sense of "center." Meaning "center or hub of a country" is attested in English from late 14c. To contemplate (one's) navel "meditate" is from 1933; hence navel-gazer (1952); see also omphaloskepsis. Navel orange attested from 1888.
navicular (adj.): "boat-shaped," 1540s, from Late Latin navicularis "pertaining to a boat," from navicula, diminutive of navis "ship" (see naval).
navigable (adj.): mid-15c., from Old French navigable (14c.) or directly from Latin navigabilis, from navigat-, past participle stem of navigare (see navigation). Related: Navigability.
navigate (v.): 1580s, a back-formation from navigation, or else from Latin navigatus, past participle of navigare. Extended to balloons (1784) and later to aircraft (1901). Related: Navigated; navigating.
navigation (n.): 1530s, from Middle French navigation (14c.) or directly from Latin navigationem (nominative navigatio) "a sailing, navigation, voyage," noun of action from past participle stem of navigare "to sail, sail over, go by sea, steer a ship," from navis "ship" (see naval) + root of agere "to drive" (see act (n.)).
navigational (adj.): 1884, from navigation + -al.
navigator (n.): 1580s, "one who navigates," from Latin navigator "sailor," agent noun from navigat-, stem of navigare (see navigation). Meaning "laborer employed in excavating a canal" is 1775, from sense in inland navigation "communication by canals and rivers" (1727).
navvy (n.): "laborer on a canal or railroad," 1832, colloquial shortening of navigator (q.v.) in its sense of "one who digs navigation canals."
navy (n.): early 14c., "fleet of ships," especially for purposes of war, from Old French navie "fleet; ship," from Latin navigia, plural of navigium "vessel, boat," from navis "ship" (see naval). Meaning "a nation's collective, organized sea power" is from 1530s. The Old English words were sciphere (usually of Viking invaders) and scipfierd (usually of the home defenses). Navy blue was the color of the British naval uniform. Navy bean attested from 1856, so called because they were grown to be used by the Navy.
nay: word of negation, late 12c., from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse nei, compound of ne "not" (see un-) + ei "ever" (see aye (2)).
naysayer (n.): 1721, from verb naysay (implied from 1530s in naysaying); from nay + say (v.). Nay-say "refusal" is from 1630s.
Nazarene (n.): c. 1200, "holy man;" early 13c., "a native or resident of Nazareth," childhood home of Jesus, from Late Latin Nazarenus, from Greek Nazarenos, from Hebrew Natzerath. As an adjective from late 13c. As "a follower of Jesus" from late 14c. In Talmudic Hebrew notzri, literally "of Nazareth," meant "a Christian;" likewise Arabic Nasrani (plural Nasara). In Christian use, however, it can be a nickname for Jesus, or refer to an early Jewish Christian sect (1680s in English), or, in modern use, to a member of the Church of the Nazarene, a U.S.-based Protestant denomination (1898 in this sense).
Nazareth: town in Lower Galilee, childhood home of Jesus, from Hebrew Natzerath, of unknown origin, perhaps a corruption of Gennesaret "Sea of Galilee." An obscure village, not named in the Old Testament or contemporary rabbinical texts.
Nazi: 1930, noun and adjective, from German Nazi, abbreviation of German pronunciation of Nationalsozialist (based on earlier German sozi, popular abbreviation of "socialist"), from Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei "National Socialist German Workers' Party," led by Hitler from 1920.

The 24th edition of Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache (2002) says the word Nazi was favored in southern Germany (supposedly from c. 1924) among opponents of National Socialism because the nickname Nazi, Naczi (from the masc. proper name Ignatz, German form of Ignatius) was used colloquially to mean "a foolish person, clumsy or awkward person." Ignatz was a popular name in Catholic Austria, and according to one source in World War I Nazi was a generic name in the German Empire for the soldiers of Austria-Hungary.

An older use of Nazi for national-sozial is attested in German from 1903, but EWdS does not think it contributed to the word as applied to Hitler and his followers. The NSDAP for a time attempted to adopt the Nazi designation as what the Germans call a "despite-word," but they gave this up, and the NSDAP is said to have generally avoided the term. Before 1930, party members had been called in English National Socialists, which dates from 1923. The use of Nazi Germany, Nazi regime, etc., was popularized by German exiles abroad. From them, it spread into other languages, and eventually was brought back to Germany, after the war. In the USSR, the terms national socialist and Nazi were said to have been forbidden after 1932, presumably to avoid any taint to the good word socialist. Soviet literature refers to fascists.
Nazism (n.): also Naziism, 1934, from Nazi + -ism. Perhaps based on French Nazisme (1930).
ne plus ultra: "utmost limit to which one can go," Latin, literally "no more beyond;" the motto traditionally inscribed on the Pillars of Hercules.
ne'er: c. 1200, contraction of never.
ne'er-do-well (n.): "one who is good for nothing," 1737, Scottish and northern English dialect, from contraction of phrase never do well. The adjective is first recorded 1773.
neal (v.): 1530s, shortened form of anneal. Related: Nealed; nealing.
Neanderthal (adj.): 1861, in reference to a type of extinct hominid, from German Neanderthal "Neander Valley," name of a gorge near Düsseldorf where humanoid fossils were identified in 1856. The place name is from the Graecized form of Joachim Neumann (literally "new man," Greek *neo-ander), 1650-1680, German pastor, poet and hymn-writer, who made this a favorite spot in the 1670s. Adopting a classical form of one's surname was a common practice among educated Germans in this era. As a noun, by 1915; as a type of a big, brutish, stupid person from 1926.
neap (adj.): Middle English, from Old English nepflod "neap flood," the tide occurring at the end of the first and third quarters of the lunar month, in which high waters are at their lowest, of unknown origin, with no known cognates (Danish niptid probably is from English). Original sense perhaps is "without power." As a noun from 1580s.
Neapolitan (n.): early 15c., "native or resident of Naples," literally "of Naples," from Latin Neapolitanus, from Neapolis (see Naples); it preserves in English the Greek name of the city. As an adjective from 1590s. As a type of ice cream, from 1871; originally meaning both "ice cream of three layers and flavors" and "ice cream made with eggs added to the cream before freezing." In early 18c., Neapolitan consolation meant "syphilis."
near (adv.): Old English near "closer, nearer," comparative of neah, neh"nigh." Influenced by Old Norse naer "near," it came to be used as a positive form mid-13c., and new comparative nearer developed 1500s (see nigh). As an adjective from c. 1300. Originally an adverb but now supplanted in most such senses by nearly; it has in turn supplanted correct nigh as an adjective. Related: Nearness. In near and dear (1620s) it refers to nearness of kinship. Near East first attested 1891, in Kipling. Near beer "low-alcoholic brew" is from 1908.
near (v.): "to draw near," 1510s, from near (adv.). Related: Neared; nearing.