supernatural

[soo-per-nach-er-uh l, -nach-ruh l]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR supernatural ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of, relating to, or being above or beyond what is natural; unexplainable by natural law or phenomena; abnormal.

of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or attributed to God or a deity.

of a superlative degree; preternatural: a missile of supernatural speed.

of, relating to, or attributed to ghosts, goblins, or other unearthly beings; eerie; occult.

noun

a being, place, object, occurrence, etc., considered as supernatural or of supernatural origin; that which is supernatural, or outside the natural order.

behavior supposedly caused by the intervention of supernatural beings.

direct influence or action of a deity on earthly affairs.

the supernatural,

supernatural beings, behavior, and occurrences collectively.
supernatural forces and the supernatural plane of existence: a deep fear of the supernatural.

Origin of supernatural

From the Medieval Latin word supernātūrālis, dating back to 1520–30. See super-, natural

Related formssu·per·nat·u·ral·ly, adverbsu·per·nat·u·ral·ness, nounan·ti·su·per·nat·ur·al, adjective, nounsem·i·su·per·nat·u·ral, adjectivesem·i·su·per·nat·u·ral·ly, adverbsem·i·su·per·nat·u·ral·ness, nounun·su·per·nat·u·ral, adjectiveun·su·per·nat·u·ral·ly, adverbun·su·per·nat·u·ral·ness, noun

Synonyms for supernatural

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR supernatural ON THESAURUS.COM

1. See miraculous.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for supernatural

celestial, mythical, psychic, metaphysical, miraculous, uncanny, ghostly, heavenly, superhuman, fairy, occult, superior, phantom, mystic, dark, secret, unknown, abnormal, concealed, fabulous

Examples from the Web for supernatural

Contemporary Examples of supernatural

Although Korra looks at PTSD and assault with supernatural grandiosity, fans were quick to pick up on it in some forums.
Science-Fiction TV Finds a New Muse: Feminism
David Levesley
November 29, 2014
On TripAdvisor, visitors gush about the tour and the supernatural experiences encountered during their stay.
Would You Stay in Lizzie Borden’s Ax-Murder House?
Nina Strochlic
October 30, 2014
It is clear Hitchens had no use for the supernatural or spiritual, but his alternative to religion was not merely scientific.
Cornel West’s Disappointing Decline
David Masciotra
October 23, 2014
It was identified as an ancient exorcism technique that indicated she had been suspected of supernatural powers.
Bulgaria’s Vampire Graveyards
Nina Strochlic
October 15, 2014
Many of my soldiers began to treat bracelets, pictures, bibles and video games as if they had supernatural powers.
There Are Only Atheists in Fox Holes
Michael Carson
October 5, 2014

Historical Examples of supernatural

You might often believe in supernatural occurrences if it were not for the witnesses.
Questionable Shapes
William Dean Howells
In the classes above them the supernatural has been slain by the supercilious.
Alarms and Discursions
G. K. Chesterton
Certainly, many of the workings of Nature are wonderful, but they are not supernatural.
The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete
Emile Zola
With respect to the supernatural scenes I have beheld, the question is more difficult.
Imogen
William Godwin
It could not have been that his 'foreknowledge' was supernatural.
Homeward Bound
James Fenimore Cooper

British Dictionary definitions for supernatural

supernatural

adjective

of or relating to things that cannot be explained according to natural laws

characteristic of or caused by or as if by a god; miraculous

of, involving, or ascribed to occult beings

exceeding the ordinary; abnormal

noun

the supernatural supernatural forces, occurrences, and beings collectively or their realm

Derived Formssupernaturally, adverbsupernaturalness, noun

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 supernatural

adj.

early 15c. "above nature, transcending nature, belonging to a higher realm," from Medieval Latin supernaturalis "above or beyond nature," from Latin super "above" (see super-) + natura "nature" (see nature). Originally with more of a religious sense, "of or given by God, divine; heavenly;" association with ghosts, etc., has predominated since c.1799.

1580s, from supernatural (adj.).