Dictionary

supernature en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈsuːpəˌneɪt͡ʃə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈsjuːpəˌneɪt͡ʃə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˌsjuːpəˈneɪt͡ʃə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• /ˌsuːpəˈneɪt͡ʃə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈsupərˌneɪt͡ʃər/ (General-American)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *úp Proto-Indo-European *-er Proto-Indo-European *upér Proto-Italic *super Latin super Latin super-lbor. English super- Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- Proto-Indo-European *ǵn̥h₁-sḱé-ti Proto-Italic *gnāskōrder. Latin nāscor Proto-Indo-European *-tew-? Proto-Indo-European *-r-eh₂? Latin -tūra Latin nātūralbor. Old French naturebor. Middle English nature English nature English supernature From super- + nature.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A nature transcending the usual constraints of the physical world.
   • "He might," said Bacon, "though I have small fear of his doubting the supernature of the android. He is much given to superstition, and his strange dream will confirm that bent of mind." 1891, William Douglas O'Connor, “The Brazen Android”, in Three Tales, page 181:
2. (countable, uncountable) A supernatural realm beyond or apart from the physical world.
   • It is the most commont and grossest blunders of scientific diminutives, to imagine that all in nature is of nature. There are more excellent natures. We ascend the height of argument by means of supernatures. These supernatures are, so to speak, natural manifestations or degrees of the supernatural. 1881, Joseph William Reynolds, The Mystery of Miracles, page 365:
   • These peripheral ghosts earn large amounts of money in the streets, and the money they make is a convertible currency in the sense that it enables a contest of power with other higher social classes in supernature. 2008, Heonik Kwon, Ghosts of War in Vietnam, →ISBN, pages 151–152:
3. (countable, uncountable) A supernatural system beyond or apart from the laws of nature.

Forms

Relateds

supranature · supernatural · preternatural · subnature · infranatural