adj.
Pronunciation: ˌ pr ē -t ə r- ' na-ch ə -r ə l, - ' nach-r ə l
Function: adjective
Etymology: Medieval Latin praeternaturalis, from Latin praeter naturam beyond nature
Date: 1580
1 : existing outside of nature
2 : exceeding what is natural or regular : EXTRAORDINARY <wits trained to preternatural acuteness by the debates ― G. L. Dickinson>
3 : inexplicable by ordinary means especially : PSYCHIC < preternatural phenomena>
– pre · ter · nat · u · ral · ly \ - ' na-ch ə -r ə -l ē , ' nach-r ə -, ' na-ch ə r- \ adverb
– pre · ter · nat · u · ral · ness \ - ' na-ch ə -r ə l-n ə s, - ' nach-r ə l- \ noun