different between heavenly vs supernal

English

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /?h?v?nli/

Etymology

From Middle English heuenly, hevenly, heofonlich, from Old English heofonl?? (“heavenly, celestial; chaste”); equivalent to heaven +? -ly.

Adjective

heavenly (comparative heavenlier or more heavenly, superlative heavenliest or most heavenly)

1. Of or pertaining to the heaven believed in by many religions.
2. Synonym of celestial: of or pertaining to the heavens, the sky regarded as the realm of the sun, moon, planets, and stars.
3. Of or pertaining to the kingdom of God; divine.
   • 1817, Charles Phillips (author-editor), Speech in the Case of O?Mullan v. M?Korkill, The Speeches of Charles Phillips, page 131,

     No doubt, you have all personally considered — no doubt, you have all personally experienced, that of all the blessings which it has pleased Providence to allow us to cultivate, there is not one which breathes a purer fragrance, or bears an heavenlier aspect than education.

4. Strongly or sublimely beautiful or pleasurable.

   Oh, please continue giving me a massage – it?s absolutely heavenly.

   • 1880, Mark Twain, A Tramp Abroad, The Works of Mark Twain: Authorized Uniform Edition, Volume 1, page 19,

     So he flew down and got that acorn, and fetched it up and dropped it in, and was just tilting his head back, with the heavenliest smile on his face, when all of a sudden he was paralyzed into a listening attitude and that smile faded gradually out of his countenance like breath off?n a razor, and the queerest look of surprise took its place.

Synonyms

• (of or pertaining to the heaven of any of many religions): celestial; celest (obsolete); paradisal, paradisaical, paradisaic, paradisic (inexact)
• (of or pertaining to the Kingdom of God): divine, spiritual
• (strongly or sublimely beautiful or pleasurable): beatific, blissful, divine, delightful, wonderful

Translations

Adverb

heavenly (comparative more heavenly, superlative most heavenly)

1. In a manner like that of heaven; by the influence or agency of heaven; divinely, miraculously.
2. To a degree such as to elicit great pleasure.

Derived terms

English

Etymology

From Old French supernel or Medieval Latin supernalis, from Latin supernus, from superum (“celestial regions, heavenly bodies”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /su??p??.n?l/, /sju??p??.n?l/, /s??p??.n?l/
• (US) IPA^(key): /su?p?.n?l/, /s??p?.n?l/, /s??p?.n?l/
• Rhymes: -??(?)n?l

Adjective

supernal (comparative more supernal, superlative most supernal)

1. Pertaining to heaven or to the sky; celestial.
   • 1922, James Joyce, Ulysses

     […] and there, after due prayers to the gods who dwell in ether supernal, had taken solemn counsel whereby they might, if so be it might be, bring once more into honour among mortal men the winged speech of the seadivided Gael.

2. Exalted, exquisite, superlative.
   • 1931, H. P. Lovecraft, The Whisperer in Darkness, chapter 6:

     Even the sunlight assumed a supernal glamour, as if some special atmosphere or exhalation mantled the whole region.

   • 1963, Thomas Pynchon, V.

     Pig, not normally reticent in these matters, now acted like a mystic after a vision; unable, maybe unwilling, to put in words this ineffable or supernal talent of Panky’s.

   • 1974, Stanis?aw Lem, trans. Michael Kandel, The Cyberiad:

     For what did Cauchy know, or Christoffel,
     Or Fourier, or any Boole or Euler,
     Wielding their compasses, their pens and rulers,
     Of thy supernal sinusoidal spell?

Synonyms

• (pertaining to heaven): celestial, heavenly
• (exalted, exquisite): exalted, exquisite

Antonyms

• (pertaining to heaven): earthly, infernal
• (exalted, exquisite): infernal

Related terms

Translations

Anagrams

• purslane