|prēd.ə(r)|nach(ə)rəl, -ētə(r)- adjective
Etymology: Medieval Latin praeternaturalis, from Latin praeter naturam beyond nature (from praeter past, by, beyond + naturam, accusative of natura nature) + -alis -al
1. : existing outside of nature : nonnatural ; sometimes : supernatural
thoughts, beliefs, and rituals of mankind … preternatural origins for these aspects of human activity were still widely postulated — H.J.Fleure
2. : exceeding in degree or intensity what is natural or regular in nature : abnormal , exceptional
wits trained to preternatural acuteness by the debates of the law courts and the assembly — G.L.Dickinson
composed her features into an appearance of preternatural pleasantness — J.C.Snaith
3. : lying beyond or outside ordinary experience : inexplicable by ordinary means
preternatural phenomena, among which the alleged psychic phenomena are perhaps the most spectacular — Herbert Spiegelberg
notions that preternatural powers and human action were inextricably linked — W.V.O'Connor
• pre·ter·nat·u·ral·ly -rəlē, -li adverb
• pre·ter·nat·u·ral·ness noun