preternatural
Americanadjective
-
out of the ordinary course of nature; exceptional or abnormal.
preternatural powers.
- Synonyms:
- unnatural, extraordinary, unusual
-
outside of nature; supernatural.
adjective
-
beyond what is ordinarily found in nature; abnormal
-
another word for supernatural
Related Words
See miraculous.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of preternatural
First recorded in 1570–80; from Medieval Latin praeternātūrālis, adjective based on Latin phrase praeter nātūram “beyond nature”; see 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.
Vocabulary lists containing preternatural
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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The Fault in Our Stars
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This Week in Words: September 10 - 16, 2017
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Coming of age in this seamy milieu has given him a cynical worldview and a preternatural calm.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026
Maye leads with similar preternatural composure; he’s in harmony with Brady’s cherished offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels; he’s filling the AFC with a familiar Patriots dread…OK, I should stop.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 29, 2025
Even with preternatural patience, most of the time, you should expect no progress.
From Slate • Dec. 5, 2025
But Stoppard has left theatrical riches that will entice audiences for generations through their intellectual exuberance, preternatural eloquence and omnivorous delight.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 30, 2025
I forget to take a pill one morning and she peppers me with comments about my preternatural plotting to burden our life.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
