Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “supernatural” come from?

Supernatural comes from Middle English supernatural, from Middle French supernaturel, from Latin supernaturalis, composed of super and -alis, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root ǵenh₁- meaning to be born or come into being.

supernatural (English): Above nature; beyond or added to nature, often so...

Definitions

  1. Above nature; beyond or added to nature, often so...

Ancestry of “supernatural”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishsupernaturalDeity-related; from God
2Middle Frenchsupernaturel—
3Latinsupernātūrālis—
4Latinnātūrālis—
5Latinnātūra—
6Latinnātus—
7Latingnātus—
8Proto-Italicgnātos—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanǵn̥h₁tósbegotten, produced
10Proto-Indo-Europeanǵenh₁-to produce, to beget, to give birth

Words derived from “supernatural”

  • supernaturally
  • supernaturalism
  • supernaturalist
  • supernaturalistic
  • supernaturalness
  • nonsupernatural
  • supernaturality
  • supernaturalize
  • supernaturalization
  • unsupernatural
  • nonsupernaturalist
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵenh₁- →