supernatural

[ soo-per-nach-er-uhl, -nach-ruhl ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or being above or beyond what is natural; unexplainable by natural law or phenomena; abnormal.
2. of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or attributed to God or a deity.
3. of a superlative degree; preternatural:

   a missile of supernatural speed.

4. of, relating to, or attributed to ghosts, goblins, or other unearthly beings; eerie; occult.

noun

1. a being, place, object, occurrence, etc., considered as supernatural or of supernatural origin; that which is supernatural, or outside the natural order.
2. behavior supposedly caused by the intervention of supernatural beings.
3. direct influence or action of a deity on earthly affairs.
4. the supernatural,
   1. supernatural beings, behavior, and occurrences collectively.
   2. supernatural forces and the supernatural plane of existence:

      a deep fear of the supernatural.

supernatural

/ ˌsuːpəˈnætʃrəl; -ˈnætʃərəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to things that cannot be explained according to natural laws
2. characteristic of or caused by or as if by a god; miraculous
3. of, involving, or ascribed to occult beings
4. exceeding the ordinary; abnormal

noun

1. the supernatural
   the supernatural supernatural forces, occurrences, and beings collectively or their realm

Derived Forms

• ˌsuperˈnaturally, adverb
• ˌsuperˈnaturalness, noun

Other Words From

• super·natu·ral·ly adverb
• super·natu·ral·ness noun
• anti·super·natur·al adjective noun
• semi·super·natu·ral adjective
• semi·super·natu·ral·ly adverb
• semi·super·natu·ral·ness noun
• unsu·per·natu·ral adjective
• unsu·per·natu·ral·ly adverb
• unsu·per·natu·ral·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of supernatural¹

From the Medieval Latin word supernātūrālis, dating back to 1520–30. See super-, natural

Synonym Study

See miraculous.

Example Sentences

Fox felt that her performance in that movie, as well as the supernatural western “Jonah Hex” in 2010, didn’t deserve the harsh judgment it received.

From Washington Post

You can also expect an added, “Pirates”-like element of the supernatural.

From Washington Post

The plot centers on a family who moves to a farm in Oklahoma, and, after experiencing some supernatural happenings, discover their ties to the original Ghostbusters.

From The Daily Beast

That’s why, even with the supernatural element in play, it feels emotionally true that Neil, a basically normal kid, would do something so awful it could leave a girl dead.

From Vox

He expressed a scientific attitude renouncing the supernatural more clearly than his predecessors.

From Science News

Although Korra looks at PTSD and assault with supernatural grandiosity, fans were quick to pick up on it in some forums.

From The Daily Beast

On TripAdvisor, visitors gush about the tour and the supernatural experiences encountered during their stay.

From The Daily Beast

Thrust into a world of seemingly supernatural monsters, his adventure begins.

From The Daily Beast

It is clear Hitchens had no use for the supernatural or spiritual, but his alternative to religion was not merely scientific.

From The Daily Beast

It was identified as an ancient exorcism technique that indicated she had been suspected of supernatural powers.

From The Daily Beast

In a warlike age this peacefulness of a monarch was the great and supernatural phenomenon.

From Project Gutenberg

The resurrection of a supernatural man is not quite sufficient for people not supernatural.

From Project Gutenberg

It seems that there must have been some supernatural power of support to have sustained children under so awful an ordeal.

From Project Gutenberg

One of the strongest opponents to the supernatural theory was a young man of perhaps twenty-seven years of age.

From Project Gutenberg

Although the thought of the supernatural had left him, his experience of a few minutes before doubtless coloured his mind.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• celestial
• fairy
• ghostly
• heavenly
• metaphysical
• miraculous
• mythical
• psychic
• superhuman
• uncanny