preternatural

American  

[pree-ter-nach-er-uhl, -nach-ruhl, pre-] / ˌpri tərˈnætʃ ər əl, -ˈnætʃ rəl, ˌprɛ- /

adjective

1. out of the ordinary course of nature; exceptional or abnormal.

   preternatural powers.

   Synonyms:

   unnatural, extraordinary, unusual

   Antonyms:

   usual, ordinary

2. outside of nature; supernatural.

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preternatural British  

/ ˌpriːtəˈnætʃrəl /

adjective

1. beyond what is ordinarily found in nature; abnormal

2. another word for supernatural

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Related Words

See miraculous.

Other Word Forms

• preternaturalism noun
• preternaturality noun
• preternaturally adverb
• preternaturalness noun
• unpreternatural adjective

Etymology

Origin of preternatural

First recorded in 1570–80; from Medieval Latin praeternātūrālis, adjective based on Latin phrase praeter nātūram “beyond nature”; preter-, natural

Explanation

Preternatural describes something that seems oddly abnormal and out of sync with everything else. If you hear a preternatural dog's barking, maybe it sounds like a police siren instead of a howl. Note that preternatural contains the word natural. Preter comes from the Latin word praeter which means "beyond"; so something preternatural is beyond nature. It is less commonly used than unnatural or supernatural but means the same thing. If you lift a truck off the ground and hold it above your head, people will marvel at you and say you have preternatural strength.

Example Sentences

Even with preternatural patience, most of the time, you should expect no progress.

From Slate • Dec. 5, 2025

Jay, with his bouffant curly hair and preternatural ability to remember the smallest details, became a de facto musical matchmaker.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 1, 2025

“Homeland” co-developer Howard Gordon serves as this show’s showrunner, and he’s amply familiar with Danes’ preternatural ability to break out an anxiety-squinched expression and quivering lower lip precisely when the action calls for them.

From Salon • Nov. 19, 2025

She has a preternatural belief in her own instincts and a boundless curiosity that, taken together, help explain the extraordinarily rich life and oeuvre she’s constructed.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 31, 2025

Two prospectors in partnership discover a mine of preternatural richness—of gold or diamonds or rubies.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck