preternatural

adjective

pre·​ter·​nat·​u·​ral ˌprē-tər-ˈna-chə-rəl How to pronounce preternatural (audio)
-ˈnach-rəl,
pre-
1
: existing outside of nature
2
: exceeding what is natural or regular : extraordinary
wits trained to preternatural acuteness by the debatesG. L. Dickinson
3
: inexplicable by ordinary means
especially : psychic
preternatural phenomena
preternaturally
ˌprē-tər-ˈna-chə-rə-lē How to pronounce preternatural (audio)
-ˈnach-rə-
-ˈna-chər-
pre-
adverb
preternaturalness noun

Did you know?

Preternatural derives from the Latin phrase praeter naturam, which means "beyond nature." Medieval Latin scholars rendered the term as praeternaturalis, and that form inspired the modern English version. Unusual things are sometimes considered positive and sometimes negative, and throughout its history preternatural has been used to refer to both exceptionally good things and unnaturally evil ones. In its earliest documented uses in the 1500s, it tended to emphasize the strange, ominous, or foreboding, but by the 1700s, people were using it more benignly to refer to fascinating supernatural (or even heavenly) phenomena. Nowadays, people regularly use it to describe the remarkable abilities of exceptional humans.

Examples of preternatural in a Sentence

She has a preternatural ability to charm people. There was a preternatural quiet in the house.
Recent Examples on the Web Not many of your future gigs are going to involve world-class talents, caught in the preternatural bloom of youth, who happen to be equally, proficiently gifted in the areas of singing, songcraft, self-revelation and the fine art of rocking out. Chris Willman, Variety, 25 Feb. 2024 My daughter, an introvert with a preternatural instinct for hibernation, admired the chickens’ unerring sense of home. Amory Rowe Salem and Cheri Lucas Rowlands, Longreads, 9 Jan. 2024 Putin has always reserved special, preternatural contempt for traitors. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 16 Feb. 2024 While this series of photographs taken of Björk in orange relies on preternatural tropes, those made in the bathroom take it further, pushing into the realm of the supernatural, of time travel. Myriam Gurba, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2024 At Marc Jacobs, lashes reached preternatural, doll-like levels, while the smudges at Prabal Gurung gave a stark relief. Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 15 Feb. 2024 But his trademark trait — the one that observers say gives him a small chance of success — is his preternatural speed. Alexander Smith, NBC News, 19 Jan. 2024 Zendaya wore the skin of an alien beast–faux, thanks to Matthieu Blazy’s atelier in Milan–while Pugh’s bodycon had been ruched in what looks like preternatural vertebrae, care of Michael Stewart. Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 7 Feb. 2024 Throughout the film, people in Rob’s life comment on his preternatural intellect and charisma. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'preternatural.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin praeternaturalis, from Latin praeter naturam beyond nature

First Known Use

1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of preternatural was in 1580

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near preternatural

Cite this Entry

“Preternatural.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preternatural. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

preternatural

adjective
pre·​ter·​nat·​u·​ral ˌprēt-ər-ˈnach(-ə)-rəl How to pronounce preternatural (audio)
: beyond what is natural : unable to be explained by ordinary means
preternaturally
-ˈnach(-ə)-rə-lē How to pronounce preternatural (audio)
-ˈnach-ər-lē
adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!