preternatural

American  

[pree-ter-nach-er-uhl, -nach-ruhl, pre-] / ˌpri tərˈnætʃ ər əl, -ˈnætʃ rəl, ˌprɛ- /

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.

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preternatural British  

/ ˌpriːtəˈnætʃrəl /

adjective

1. beyond what is ordinarily found in nature; abnormal

2. another word for supernatural

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Related Words

See miraculous.

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of preternatural

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

Explanation

Preternatural describes something that seems oddly abnormal and out of sync with everything else. If you hear a preternatural dog's barking, maybe it sounds like a police siren instead of a howl. Note that preternatural contains the word natural. Preter comes from the Latin word praeter which means "beyond"; so something preternatural is beyond nature. It is less commonly used than unnatural or supernatural but means the same thing. If you lift a truck off the ground and hold it above your head, people will marvel at you and say you have preternatural strength.

Example Sentences

Maye leads with similar preternatural composure; he’s in harmony with Brady’s cherished offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels; he’s filling the AFC with a familiar Patriots dread…OK, I should stop.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 29, 2025

Even with preternatural patience, most of the time, you should expect no progress.

From Slate • Dec. 5, 2025

But Stoppard has left theatrical riches that will entice audiences for generations through their intellectual exuberance, preternatural eloquence and omnivorous delight.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 30, 2025

“Homeland” co-developer Howard Gordon serves as this show’s showrunner, and he’s amply familiar with Danes’ preternatural ability to break out an anxiety-squinched expression and quivering lower lip precisely when the action calls for them.

From Salon • Nov. 19, 2025

All at once we heard the crow of a cock coming up with preternatural shrillness through the clear morning air; Count Dracula, jumping to his feet, said:—

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker