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

• 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

The family was preternaturally literary: Besides Alfred, seven of his siblings went on to publish verse.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

Maybe it’s because, unless you were born with a preternaturally unshakable self-confidence few of us can claim, there’s a touch of the underdog in all of us.

From Salon • Aug. 12, 2025

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

The sound of young Florida is fully embodied in this raspy voiced, preternaturally chilled Tallahassee newcomer.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2024

The whole of the Giant Do-Nut became preternaturally calm.

From "Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures" by Kate DiCamillo