preternatural

[pree-ter-nach-er-uhl, -nach-ruhl, pre-]

adjective

1. out of the ordinary course of nature; exceptional or abnormal.

   preternatural powers.

   Synonyms: unnatural, extraordinary, unusual
   Antonyms: usual, ordinary

2. outside of nature; supernatural.

preternatural

/ ˌpriːtəˈnætʃrəl /

adjective

1. beyond what is ordinarily found in nature; abnormal

2. another word for supernatural

Other Word Forms

• preternaturalism noun
• preternaturality noun
• preternaturalness noun
• preternaturally adverb
• unpreternatural adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of preternatural¹

First recorded in 1570–80; from Medieval Latin praeternātūrālis, adjective based on Latin phrase praeter nātūram “beyond nature”; preter-, natural

Word History and Origins

Origin of preternatural¹

C16: from Medieval Latin praeternātūrālis, from Latin praeter natūram beyond the scope of nature

Synonym Study

See miraculous.

Example Sentences

Now, each Thanksgiving when my family convenes, I envy my college-age kids for their preternatural ability to sleep and sleep and sleep.

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She has a preternatural belief in her own instincts and a boundless curiosity that, taken together, help explain the extraordinarily rich life and oeuvre she’s constructed.

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Also evident here is his preternatural gift for widescreen compositions, as he uses negative space to suggestive effect and often incorporates telling details at the edges of the frame.

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That head-down work ethic paid off on singles like “Back to Friends” and “Undressed,” which landed in winter and spring with a preternatural skill for hooks and emotional heft.

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At her husband’s funeral last month, she demonstrated preternatural poise addressing a stadium-sized crowd, extolling a traditional view of marriage in which he was the family’s spiritual leader while she maintained the home.

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