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phenomenal

[fi-nom-uh-nl]

||

adjective

highly extraordinary or prodigious; exceptional: phenomenal speed.

of or relating to phenomena.

of the nature of a phenomenon; cognizable by the senses.

Origin of phenomenal

First recorded in 1815–25; phenomen(on) + -al¹

Related formsphe·nom·e·nal·i·ty, nounphe·nom·e·nal·ly, adverbnon·phe·nom·e·nal, adjectivenon·phe·nom·e·nal·ly, adverbsem·i·phe·nom·e·nal, adjectivesem·i·phe·nom·e·nal·ly, adverbun·phe·nom·e·nal, adjectiveun·phe·nom·e·nal·ly, adverb

Can be confusedphenomena phenomenal phenomenon (see usage note at phenomenon)

Synonyms for phenomenal

1. uncommon, outstanding, surpassing, unprecedented.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for phenomenally

Contemporary Examples of phenomenally

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.
Moment of Truth Approaches for Immigration Reform
Patricia Murphy
June 10, 2013
She would get up at five in the morning to begin her reading so that she was phenomenally well prepared.
British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s Lasting Legacy
Christopher Dickey
April 8, 2013
Mayfield had written the phenomenally successful soundtracks for Super Fly and Claudine.
The Saga of Whitney Houston’s Last Movie, ‘Sparkle’
Howard Rosenman
February 13, 2012
That is a phenomenally impressive list, with nary a McG nor Michael Bay nor Zack Snyder to be found.
The Anti-Glam Leading Man
Richard Rushfield
September 7, 2011

Historical Examples of phenomenally

This ratio is phenomenally large, and should not be taken as a guide by amateurs.
Flying Machines
W.J. Jackman and Thos. H. Russell
The Daytons, who were phenomenally ugly in a bony way, were the Daytons.
The Prisoner
Alice Brown
It has its start, you see, and it is a phenomenally good one.
The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg and Other Stories
Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
He is so bright and intelligent, as a rule, that you wonder why he is so phenomenally vulgar.
The Arena
Various
Avdotya Romanovna is awfully chaste, incredibly and phenomenally so.
Crime and Punishment
Fyodor Dostoevsky

British Dictionary definitions for phenomenally

phenomenal

adjective

of or relating to a phenomenon

extraordinary; outstanding; remarkablea phenomenal achievement

philosophy known or perceived by the senses rather than the mind

Derived Formsphenomenally, adverb

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.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper