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
- Above nature; beyond or added to nature, often so...
Ancestry of “supernatural”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | supernatural | Deity-related; from God |
| 2 | Middle French | supernaturel | — |
| 3 | Latin | supernātūrālis | supernatural |
| 4 | Latin | nātūrālis | natural by birth, legitimate |
| 5 | Latin | nātūra | the nature, quality, substance or essence of a thing |
| 6 | Latin | nātus | born, arisen, made |
| 7 | Latin | gnātus | — |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | gnātos | born |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵn̥h₁tós | begotten, produced |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵenh₁- | to produce, to beget, to give birth |