phenomenal
[fi-nom-uh-nl]
- highly extraordinary or prodigious; exceptional: phenomenal speed.
- of or relating to phenomena.
- of the nature of a phenomenon; cognizable by the senses.
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Origin of phenomenal
Synonyms
See more synonyms for phenomenal on Thesaurus.com1. uncommon, outstanding, surpassing, unprecedented.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for phenomenally
Contemporary Examples
Given that modern animals are a phenomenally diverse group that evolved relatively quickly, why were they so slow to get going?
Why Did It Take So Long For Complex Life To Evolve On Earth? Blame Oxygen.Matthew R. Francis
November 2, 2014
“Paul Ryan has been phenomenally helpful,” said a senior staffer close to the negotiations of the House group.
She would get up at five in the morning to begin her reading so that she was phenomenally well prepared.
Mayfield had written the phenomenally successful soundtracks for Super Fly and Claudine.
That is a phenomenally impressive list, with nary a McG nor Michael Bay nor Zack Snyder to be found.
Historical Examples
This ratio is phenomenally large, and should not be taken as a guide by amateurs.
Flying MachinesW.J. Jackman and Thos. H. Russell
The Daytons, who were phenomenally ugly in a bony way, were the Daytons.
The PrisonerAlice Brown
It has its start, you see, and it is a phenomenally good one.
The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg and Other StoriesMark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
He is so bright and intelligent, as a rule, that you wonder why he is so phenomenally vulgar.
The ArenaVarious
Avdotya Romanovna is awfully chaste, incredibly and phenomenally so.
Crime and PunishmentFyodor Dostoevsky
phenomenal
- of or relating to a phenomenon
- extraordinary; outstanding; remarkablea phenomenal achievement
- philosophy known or perceived by the senses rather than the mind
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for phenomenally
phenomenal
adj.
1803, "of the nature of a phenomenon," a hybrid from phenomenon + -al (1). Meaning "remarkable, exceptional" is from 1850.
[Phenomenal] is a metaphysical term with a use of its own. To divert it from this proper use to a job for which it is not needed, by making it do duty for remarkable, extraordinary, or prodigious, is a sin against the English language. [Fowler]
Related: Phenomenally.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper