supernatural en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˌs(j)uː.pəˈnæ.tʃə.ɹəl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (General-American) audio
- /-tʃɹəl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˌs(j)ʉː.pəˈnɛ.tʃɹəl/ (New-Zealand)
- /-tʃɹəl/ (General-American)
- /ˌsu.pəɹˈnæ.tʃə.ɹəl/ (General-American)
Etymology
From Middle English supernatural, supernaturel, from Middle French supernaturel, from Latin supernātūrālis, from super (“above”) + nātūra (“nature; that which we are born with”), from nātus (“born”), perfect passive participle of nāscī (“to be born”) + adjective suffix -ālis. By surface analysis, super- + natural.
Meanings
-
Above nature; beyond or added to nature, often so considered because it is given by a deity or some force beyond that with which humans are born.
As with the Delphic oracle of ancient Greece, physical impairment seemed compensated by almost supernatural gifts, which allowed his mind to roam the universe freely, upon occasion enigmatically revealing some of its secrets hidden from ordinary mortal view.
2018 March 14, Roger Penrose, “'Mind over matter': Stephen Hawking – obituary by Roger Penrose”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 20 Mar 2025:Near-synonym: paranatural
In Roman Catholic theology, sanctifying grace is considered to be a supernatural addition to human nature.
Stephen King's first novel is about a girl named Carrie dealing with supernatural powers.
We know from their literature that to our Saxon ancestors waste places of moor and forest and marshes were the resort of a host of supernatural creatures at enmity with mankind.
1922, Eleanour Sinclair Rohde, The Old English Herbals, London: Longmans, Green and Co., page 14:
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Not of the usual; not natural; altered by forces that are not understood fully, if at all.
Near-synonym: paranatural
The house is haunted by supernatural forces.
Many humans believe in the existence of supernatural forces; some do not.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most supernatural | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more supernatural | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Antonyms
normal · typical · ordinary · typical · ordinary · normal
Coordinates
extraordinary · paranormal · natural · preternatural · extraordinary · natural · extranormal · preternatural · unnatural · unnatural · paranormal · extranormal
Deriveds
supernaturality · supernaturalize · supernaturalistic · supernatural selection · nonsupernatural · supernaturalness · unsupernatural · supernaturally · supernaturalism · supernaturalist · super-supernatural · semisupernatural
Relateds
supernormal · unnatural · nonnatural · metanatural · preternatural · paranatural · extranatural · supranatural
Synonyms
Translations (74)
ru сверхъесте́ственный (not of the usual) · is yfirnáttúrulegur (above nature) · cy goruwchnaturiol (above nature) · sw -si- -a dunia hii (above nature) · la divinus (not of the usual) · gd os-nàdarrach (above nature) · sq mbinatyrshëm (not of the usual) · tr olağanüstü (not of the usual) · sq mbinatyrshëm (above nature) · kk табиғаттан тыс (above nature) · de übernatürlich (above nature) · el υπερφυσικός (above nature) · ca sobrenatural (above nature) · fi yliluonnollinen (above nature) · es sobrenatural (above nature) · ar خَارِق (above nature) · fi jumalallinen (above nature) · ko 초자연적인 (above nature) · cs nadpřirozený (above nature) · et üleloomulik (not of the usual) · ru сверхъесте́ственный (above nature) · gl sobrenatural (above nature) · ja 超自然の (above nature) · mi tupua (not of the usual) · mi tipua (not of the usual) · vi siêu nhiên (above nature) · io supernatura (above nature) · id supernatural (above nature) · fi yliluonnollinen (not of the usual) · pt sobrenatural (not of the usual) · ar مَا فَوْقَ الطَّبِيعَة (above nature) · fr surnaturel (not of the usual) · la extranaturalis (above nature) · th เหนือธรรมชาติ (above nature) · uk надприро́дний (above nature) · sk nadprirodzený (above nature) · pt sobrenatural (above nature) · bg необикновен (not of the usual) · pl nadprzyrodzony (above nature) · mi whaiwhaiā (not of the usual) · it soprannaturale (above nature) · hy գերբնական (not of the usual) · ro supranatural (above nature) · fr surnaturel (above nature) · nb overnaturlig (above nature) · el υπερφυσικός (not of the usual) · da overnaturlig (above nature) · tl higlikas (above nature) · it ultraterreno (not of the usual) · bg свръхестествен (above nature) · eo supernatura (above nature) · tr olağanüstü (above nature) · la divinus (above nature) · id adikodrati (above nature) · it sovrannaturale (above nature) · hu természetfeletti (above nature) · ka ზებუნებრივი (above nature) · nn overnaturleg (above nature) · ar اِسْتِثْنَائِيّ (not of the usual) · cmn 超自然 (above nature) · ar مِيتَافِيزِيقِيّ (above nature) · is yfirnáttúrulegur (not of the usual) · hy գերբնական (above nature) · pl nadnaturalny (above nature) · fr surnaturelle (above nature) · be звышнатура́льны (above nature) · et üleloomulik (above nature) · hi अलौकिक (above nature) · nl bovennatuurlijk (above nature) · da overnaturlig (not of the usual) · is yfirskilvitlegur (not of the usual) · mi mākutu (not of the usual) · yi איבערנאַטירלעך (above nature) · id luar dunia (not of the usual)