Word: preternatural (adjective)

Associations

"Preternatural" means something that is beyond what is normal or natural, but not necessarily supernatural (like magic or ghosts). It often describes abilities or events that seem very unusual or extraordinary.

• "She has a preternatural talent for music." This means her musical skill is beyond normal human ability.
• "The calmness in the storm was preternatural." This means the calm was very strange or unusual.
• "He showed preternatural strength during the rescue." This means his strength was surprisingly great, more than usual. A well-known synonym is "supernatural," but "supernatural" usually refers to things involving magic, spirits, or the paranormal, while "preternatural" just means very unusual or extraordinary without implying magic.

Substitution

You can use words like:

• extraordinary (means very special or unusual)
• uncanny (means strange or mysterious)
• exceptional (means much better than usual) Changing the word can shift the meaning slightly:
• "extraordinary" focuses more on being very impressive,
• "uncanny" adds a feeling of mystery or eeriness,
• "exceptional" emphasizes high quality or skill.

Deconstruction

"Preternatural" comes from Latin:

• "praeter" means "beyond" or "past"
• "natural" means "natural" or "normal" So, "preternatural" literally means "beyond natural." It describes something outside the normal world but not necessarily magical.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you saw something that seemed beyond normal but not magical? How would you describe it using "preternatural"?
• How would you feel if someone had a preternatural ability? Would it be exciting or scary?
• Can you find examples in stories or movies where characters have preternatural qualities? What makes those qualities different from supernatural?