supernatural

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌsu.pəɹˈnæ.tʃə.ɹəl/ UK /ˌs(j)uː.pəˈnæ.tʃə.ɹəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #8226

Meanings

1

adj
Not able to be explained by the laws of nature; relating to ghosts, magic, or other mysterious forces.

The old house was said to have supernatural powers.
2

noun
Mysterious forces, events, and beings that cannot be explained by nature, taken together.

I don't believe in the supernatural.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · not able to be explained by... supranatural

2 noun · mysterious forces, events,... occult

Word family

Forms supernaturally

Derived forms nonsupernaturalsemisupernaturalsupernaturalismsupernaturalistsupernaturalisticsupernaturalitysupernaturalizesupernaturallysupernaturalnessunsupernatural

Related forms extranaturalmetanaturalnonnaturalparanaturalparapsychologicalpreternaturalsupernormalsupranatural unnatural

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

supernatural virtue
one of the virtues regarded in Christian ethics as given by God

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle English supernatural, supernaturel, from Middle French supernaturel, from Latin supernātūrālis, from super (“above”) + nātūra (“nature; that which we are born with”), from nātus (“born”), perfect passive participle of nāscī (“to be born”) + adjective suffix -ālis. By surface analysis, super- + natural.

supernatural Middle English supernaturel Middle French supernātūrālis Latin

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Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# supernatural

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌsu.pəɹˈnæ.tʃə.ɹəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌs(j)uː.pəˈnæ.tʃə.ɹəl/
**Frequency rank:** 8226

## Meanings
1. Not able to be explained by the laws of nature; relating to ghosts, magic, or other mysterious forces.
2. Mysterious forces, events, and beings that cannot be explained by nature, taken together.

## Examples
- The old house was said to have supernatural powers.
- I don't believe in the supernatural.

## Derived Forms
- nonsupernatural
- semisupernatural
- supernaturalism
- supernaturalist
- supernaturalistic
- supernaturality
- supernaturalize
- supernaturally
- supernaturalness
- unsupernatural

## Related Forms
- extranatural
- metanatural
- nonnatural
- paranatural
- parapsychological
- preternatural
- supernormal
- supranatural
- unnatural

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: supernatural
- Root: supernaturel
- Root: supernātūrālis
- Affix: super- - above

## Etymology
From Middle English supernatural, supernaturel, from Middle French supernaturel, from Latin supernātūrālis, from super (“above”) + nātūra (“nature; that which we are born with”), from nātus (“born”), perfect passive participle of nāscī (“to be born”) + adjective suffix -ālis. By surface analysis, super- + natural.

## AI Etymology
Supernatural is from Middle English supernatural, supernaturel, from Middle French supernaturel, from Latin supernātūrālis, from super (“above”) + nātūra (“nature; that which we are born with”), from nātus (“born”), perfect passive participle of nāscī (“to be born”) + adjective suffix -ālis. By surface analysis, super- + natural. In present-day use, it can mean not able to be explained by the laws of nature; relating to ghosts, magic, or other mysterious forces, or mysterious forces, events, and beings that cannot be explained by nature, taken together.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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