English Explanatory Dictionary

preternatural

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Beyond or not conforming to what is natural or according to the regular course of things; strange.
  2. Having an existence outside of the natural world.

Pronunciation

/ˌpɹiː.təˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə)ɹ.əl/ /ˌpɹi.tɚˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə)ɹ.əl/ /ˌprɛdərˈnætʃ(ə)rəl/ en-us-preternatural.ogg

Word forms

preternatural more preternatural most preternatural praeternatural præternatural

Etymology

From preter- + natural, after Latin prēternātūrālis/praeternātūrālis, from praeter nātūram, from praeter (“beyond”) + nātūra (“nature”); compare supernatural.

Synonyms

supernatural uncanny inexplicable exceptional extraordinary abnormal paranormal unnatural

Related words

preterite pretermit pretermission abnormal extraordinary unusual

Derived words

preternaturalism preternaturalist preternaturality preternaturally preternaturalness unpreternatural
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