preternaturally

American  

[pree-ter-nach-er-uh-lee, -nach-ruh-lee, pre-] / ˌpri tərˈnætʃ ər ə li, -ˈnætʃ rə li, ˌprɛ- /

adverb

1. in a way or to a degree that is beyond the ordinary course of nature; exceptionally or abnormally.

   Her voice, preternaturally deep, resonated off the walls like a terrible storm.

2. in a supernatural way or to a supernatural degree.

   The demons in this movie are of course preternaturally strong.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unpreternaturally
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of preternaturally

preternatural ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

When something happens preternaturally, it's extremely unusual — you could even say it's strange and mysterious. If your dog is preternaturally smart, you may feel like she understands every word you say. This adverb is commonly used to describe things that happen in a bizarre or extraordinary way, particularly if they're hard to explain. A magician may cause your friend to appear to hover preternaturally above the ground, for example. Sometimes its use signals that you can't quite believe your eyes: "Those redwood trees were preternaturally enormous!" The Latin root is praeter naturam, "beyond nature."

Example Sentences

Across the board, the staff is genial and preternaturally accommodating.

From Slate • Jun. 2, 2026

What is certain is that “Now I Surrender” stubbornly fights against the kind of engagement its author is preternaturally good at arousing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

Such moments have allowed even one of the most preternaturally talented athletes of his generation to show a human side too.

From BBC • Jul. 16, 2025

We also know that Mark is preternaturally great at refining.

From Salon • Feb. 7, 2025

I must have been preternaturally politically aware, because I have a dim memory of this, too.

From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove