preternatural
UK /ˌpɹiː.təˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə)ɹ.əl/ · US /ˌpɹi.tɚˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə)ɹ.əl/ adjective
Forms praeternatural præternatural
- adjective Beyond or not conforming to what is natural or according to the regular course of things; strange.
- adjective (dated) Having an existence outside the natural world.
Synonyms
inexplicable exceptional extraordinary abnormal uncanny paranormal supernatural unnatural nonnatural otherworldly transcendental
Etymology
From preter- + natural, after Latin prēternātūrālis/praeternātūrālis, from praeter nātūram, from praeter (“beyond”) + nātūra (“nature”); compare supernatural.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Beyond of different from what is natural, or according to the regular course of things, but not clearly supernatural or miraculous; strange; inexplicable; extraordinary; uncommon; irregular; abnormal; as, a preternatural appearance; a preternatural stillness; a preternatural presentation (in childbirth) or labor.
Etymology [Pref. preter + natural.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “preternatural”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details