supernatural
/ˌsu.pəɹˈnæ.tʃə.ɹəl/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.89 in modern English
14
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
5
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Above nature; beyond or added to nature, often so considered because it is given by a deity or some force beyond that with which humans are born.
noun
Supernatural beings and events collectively (when used with definite article: "the supernatural")
Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "Near-synonym: paranatural"
- "In Roman Catholic theology, sanctifying grace is considered to be a supernatural addition to human nature."
- "Stephen King's first novel is about a girl named Carrie dealing with supernatural powers."
- "We know from their literature that to our Saxon ancestors waste places of moor and forest and marshes were the resort of a host of supernatural creatures at enmity with mankind."
- "As with the Delphic oracle of ancient Greece, physical impairment seemed compensated by almost supernatural gifts, which allowed his mind to roam the universe freely, upon occasion enigmatically revealing some of its secrets hidden from ordinary mortal view."
- "The house is haunted by supernatural forces."
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.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: supernatural, supernaturel, supernātūrālis
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˌsu.pəɹˈnæ.tʃə.ɹəl/
- British English: /ˌs(j)uː.pəˈnæ.tʃə.ɹəl/