different between astounding vs preternatural

English

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -a?nd??

Verb

astounding

1. present participle of astound

Adjective

astounding (comparative more astounding, superlative most astounding)

1. That astounds or astound.

   astounding success; an astounding spectacle

   • 1785, Henry Boyd (translator), A Translation of the Inferno of Dante Alighieri, in English Verse, Dublin, Volume 1, Canto 7, Stanza 18, p. 285,^[1]

     Wasted in darkness down the pitchy wave,

     We saw the STYGIAN pool her borders lave,

     Fed by th’ astounding cataract on high.

Derived terms

• astoundingly
• astoundingness

Synonyms

• amazing, extraordinary, fantastic, incredible, marvelous, miraculous, phenomenal, remarkable, unbelievable

• See Thesaurus:surprising

Translations

English

Alternative forms

• praeternatural
• præternatural (archaic)

Etymology

From Latin pretern?t?r?lis/praetern?t?r?lis, from praeter n?t?ram, from praeter (“beyond”) + n?t?ra (“nature”); compare supernatural.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?p?i?.t??næt??.(?)?.?l/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?p?i.t??næt??.(?)?.?l/
• (US)

Adjective

preternatural (comparative more preternatural, superlative most preternatural)

1. Beyond or not conforming to what is natural or according to the regular course of things; strange.

   Synonyms: inexplicable, exceptional, extraordinary, abnormal, uncanny

   • 1815, William Shearman, New Medical and Physical Journal

     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.

   • 1882, George Edward Ellis, The Red Man and the White Man in North America, p. 152,

     Doubtless there has been some exaggeration in the picturesque and fanciful relations of the almost preternatural skill and cunning of the Indian […]

   • 2018 "Quintessential Deckerstar", Lucifer

     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.

   Synonyms: paranormal, supernatural, unnatural

   • 1817, William Hazlitt, Characters of Shakespeare's Plays, "Macbeth",

     Macbeth is like a record of a preternatural and tragical event.

   • 1860, George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss, Book 1, Chapter 11,

     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, [...]

   • 1925, Arthur Conan Doyle, "The Ring of Thoth",

     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.

Usage notes

• In modern secular use, refers to extraordinary but still natural phenomena, as in “preternatural talent”. In religious and occult usage, used similarly to supernatural, meaning “outside of nature”, but usually to a lower level than supernatural – it can be used synonymously (identical to supernatural), as a hyponym (a kind of supernatural), or a coordinate term (similar to supernatural, but a distinct category). For example, in Catholic theology, preternatural refers to properties of creatures like angels, while supernatural refers to properties of God alone.

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Further reading

• preternatural on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

References

• preternatural in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Portuguese

Adjective

preternatural m or f (plural preternaturais, comparable)

1. preternatural

Spanish

Adjective

preternatural (plural preternaturales)

1. preternatural