preternatural

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
15
Words With Friends
19
Letters
13
Pronunciation
/ˌpɹiː.təˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə)ɹ.əl/ (UK)
See all 3 pronunciations
/ˌpɹiː.təˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə)ɹ.əl/ (UK) · /ˌpɹi.tɚˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə)ɹ.əl/ · /ˌprɛdərˈnætʃ(ə)rəl/

Definition of preternatural

2 senses · 1 part of speech · etymology included

adj

  1. Beyond or not conforming to what is natural or according to the regular course of things; strange.
    “I have employed cold air, and very often spongings with cold water, in order to moderate the preternatural heat of the skin, and to check the increased velocity of the circulation.”
    “Doubtless there has been some exaggeration in the picturesque and fanciful relations of the almost preternatural skill and cunning of the Indian […]”
    “"Villette! Villette! wrote George Eliot. "It is a still more wonderful book than Jane Eyre. There is something almost preternatural in its power."”
    “D.B. Woodside as Amenadiel: "Something Charlotte said made me think. Maybe celestial beings and humans, Luci maybe they aren't that different." Tom Ellis as Lucifer Morningstar: "What, are we talking in bed? 'Cause we know all know my skills are preternatural. But I suppose you on the other hand..."”
See all 2 definitions

adj

  1. Beyond or not conforming to what is natural or according to the regular course of things; strange.
    “I have employed cold air, and very often spongings with cold water, in order to moderate the preternatural heat of the skin, and to check the increased velocity of the circulation.”
    “Doubtless there has been some exaggeration in the picturesque and fanciful relations of the almost preternatural skill and cunning of the Indian […]”
    “"Villette! Villette! wrote George Eliot. "It is a still more wonderful book than Jane Eyre. There is something almost preternatural in its power."”
    “D.B. Woodside as Amenadiel: "Something Charlotte said made me think. Maybe celestial beings and humans, Luci maybe they aren't that different." Tom Ellis as Lucifer Morningstar: "What, are we talking in bed? 'Cause we know all know my skills are preternatural. But I suppose you on the other hand..."”
  2. (dated)Having an existence outside of the natural world.
    “Macbeth is like a record of a preternatural and tragical event.”
    “Not Leonore, in that preternatural midnight excursion with her phantom lover, was more terrified than poor Maggie in this entirely natural ride on a short-paced donkey, [...]”
    “Vansittart Smith, fixing his eyes upon the fellow's skin, was conscious of a sudden impression that there was something inhuman and preternatural about its appearance.”

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

From preter- + natural, after Latin prēternātūrālis/praeternātūrālis, from praeter nātūram, from praeter (“beyond”) + nātūra (“nature”); compare supernatural.

Words you can make from preternatural

200+ playable · top: PARENTERAL (12 pts)

Best play parenteral 12 points

9-letter words

8 words

8-letter words

29 words

7-letter words

62 words

6-letter words

100 words

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