preternatural
adjective
G. L. Dickinson
Did you know?
Preternatural comes from the Latin phrase praeter naturam, meaning "beyond nature." Medieval Latin scholars rendered this as praeternaturalis, and that form inspired the modern English word. Things beyond nature—i.e., very unusual things—can be alarming, and in its earliest documented uses in the late 1500s, preternatural was applied to strange, ominous, or abnormal phenomena, from works of God to signs of illness and disease. But by the 1800s things were looking up for preternatural, with the word describing remarkable abilities of exceptional humans, as it most often does today.
Examples of preternatural in a Sentence
Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2025
Many of those featured in the series are cryptids, creatures whose existence is disputed and often possess preternatural — meaning extraordinary — abilities, such as the Himalayan yeti or Australia’s amphibious bunyip.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 15 Oct. 2025
Slimmed down and lithe, Tatum’s panther-like physicality showcases Jeffrey’s preternatural ability to master his environment through keen observation and sheer determination.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 11 Oct. 2025
As a team with a ton of continuity, the Aces have almost a preternatural sense for one another on the court.
—Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preternatural
Cite this Entry
“Preternatural.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preternatural. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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preternatural
adjective
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