Word for the day preternatural

preternatural

PRONUNCIATION:
(pree/pri-tuhr-NACH-uh-ruhl)

MEANING:
adjective: Beyond what is natural or normal.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin praeter- (beyond, past) + naturam (nature). Earliest documented use: 1580.

USAGE:
“Ms. Yousafzai made a rapid recovery, and quickly drowned out her critics with her preternatural poise and speaking skills.”
Declan Walsh; Two Champions of Children Are Given Nobel Peace Prize; The New York Times; Oct 10, 2014.

He combined boundless optimism with a preternatural tolerance for risk.
 


Back
Top