Dictionary.com
definitions

preternatural

[ pree-ter-nach-er-uhl, -nach-ruhl ]
/ ˌpri tərˈnætʃ ər əl, -ˈnætʃ rəl /
||
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR preternatural ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

out of the ordinary course of nature; exceptional or abnormal: preternatural powers.
outside of nature; supernatural.

RELATED CONTENT

The Real Meanings Behind These Popular Celebrity NicknamesFrom singers and presidents to b-ball players and tech moguls, all kinds of celebs have nicknames ... some of which have trickled down into our everyday vocabulary, too.
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

aberrant, anomalous, atypical, deviant, extraordinary, ghostly, inexplicable, irregular, marvelous, miraculous, mysterious, odd, peculiar, strange, superhuman, superior, supernatural, unaccountable, unearthly, unnatural

Nearby words

  1. preterlegal,
  2. preterm,
  3. preterm infant,
  4. pretermission,
  5. pretermit,
  6. preterperfect,
  7. pretest,
  8. pretext,
  9. pretexta,
  10. pretexting

Origin of preternatural

1570–80; < Medieval Latin praeternātūrālis, adj. based on Latin phrase praeter nātūram beyond nature. See preter-, natural
ANTONYMS FOR preternatural
1. ordinary, usual.
SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR preternatural ON THESAURUS.COM
Related formspre·ter·nat·u·ral·ism, pre·ter·nat·u·ral·i·ty [pree-ter-nach-uh-ral-i-tee] /ˌpri tərˌnætʃ əˈræl ɪ ti/, pre·ter·nat·u·ral·ness, nounpre·ter·nat·u·ral·ly, adverbun·pre·ter·nat·u·ral, adjectiveun·pre·ter·nat·u·ral·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for preternatural

British Dictionary definitions for preternatural

preternatural

/ (ˌpriːtəˈnætʃrəl) /

adjective

beyond what is ordinarily found in nature; abnormal
another word for supernatural
Derived Formspreternaturally, adverbpreternaturalism, nounpreternaturalness or preternaturality, noun

Word Origin for preternatural

C16: from Medieval Latin praeternātūrālis, from Latin praeter natūram beyond the scope of nature
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 preternatural

preternatural

adj.

1570s, from Medieval Latin preternaturalis (mid-13c.), from Latin phrase praeter naturam (praeterque fatum) "beyond nature (and beyond fate)," from praeter "beyond" (see preterite) + accusative of natura "nature" (see natural).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper