supernatural
soo-per-NATCH-er-ul
/ˌsuː.pɚˈnætʃ.ɚ.əl/
Attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature.
Covers ghosts, magic, gods, demons, and powers that transcend the natural physical realm.
The story behind the word. Coined in Medieval Latin by scholastic theologians combining Latin 'super' (above or beyond) with 'naturalis' (belonging to nature). It was created to distinguish divine grace and miracles from the natural order of the physical universe as explained by Aristotle.
Word relationships
- paranormal: Paranormal specifically refers to experiences like telepathy or UFOs that science cannot explain, while supernatural encompasses magic, myth, and religion.
- preternatural: Preternatural means extraordinary or beyond what is ordinary in nature, but not necessarily divine or magical.
- natural: Existing in or caused by nature; conforming to physical laws.
- mundane: Ordinary and earthly, lacking any magical or spiritual dimension.
Commonly confused with
- unnatural: Unnatural implies artificial or contrary to nature; supernatural implies existing above or beyond nature altogether.
Word family
- supernaturally (adverb): In a supernatural manner.
- supernaturalism (noun): Belief in supernatural forces or agents.
Collocations
- supernatural powers
- supernatural entity
- supernatural occurrences
Example sentences
- "The village folklore was rich with tales of supernatural creatures inhabiting the surrounding mountains." Folklore Studies
- "She loved reading supernatural thrillers that combined historical detective work with ghost stories." Entertainment
Memory hook
SUPER + NATURAL = SUPERior to the LAWS OF NATURE. Beyond the laws of nature.
When not to use
Do not use for rare but real scientific phenomena like ball lightning; it requires being outside natural law.
Fun facts
- Thomas Aquinas popularized the word in the 13th century to describe divine miracles that nature alone could not produce.
Related words
Explore more words
occult, metaphysical, transcendent, prophecy, fate, divination
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