supernatural
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.describes things that are not part of the natural world and cannot be explained by science.
adj.relating to phenomena that exist outside the natural world and are attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding.
Simple“The villagers believed the strange lights in the forest had a supernatural cause.”
In context“The investigator remained skeptical, searching for a rational explanation for what the witnesses insisted was a supernatural occurrence.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the world of things that are not natural, like ghosts or magic.
n.supernatural beings, forces, and events considered as a collective whole; typically used with the definite article 'the'.
Simple“She has always been fascinated by the supernatural and loves reading ghost stories.”
In context“His latest novel explores the thin veil between our daily lives and the supernatural, blending historical facts with local folklore.”
UsageUsually functions as an uncountable noun preceded by 'the'.
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.a creature that has magical powers or is not from the natural world.
n.an individual entity or being that possesses powers beyond the laws of nature.
Simple“In the old legends, a supernatural would often guard the entrance to the cave.”
In context“The poet personifies the wind as a powerful supernatural, capable of both creation and absolute destruction.”
“There are also new DNA-modifying mutagens to play around with, tweaking Geralt’s biology and, therefore, his supernatural skills.”
“When her best friend’s life is endangered, Simone must decide how far she will go to save her in this unsettling, page-turning supernatural YA mystery.”
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.