supernaturalis

Forms

supernātūrālis (neuter supernātūrāle); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin super- + nātūrālis (“natural”).^[1][2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is Rusticus the Deacon, in the middle of the 6th century, where it means supernatural.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It stayed a word of theology and philosophy:^[4][2] medieval writers used it for what goes beyond the ordinary power or course of nature,^[3][5] and of learning for what is heavenly or divine.^[3] English borrowed it in the early 15th century as supernatural, first meaning “given by God, divine”.^[6]

Timeline

• mid-6th century – Rusticus the Deacon uses it.^[2]
• c. 1301 – A disputed question at Oxford asks whether the divine essence can be seen without supernatural light.^[3]
• first half of the 14th century – William of Ockham uses it of a supernatural gift.^[3][2]
• early 15th century – English borrows it as supernatural.^[6]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Supernatural, beyond the ordinary course of nature.^[5][4][3]
2. (of learning) Heavenly, divine.^[3]

Related words

• English supernatural

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
3. ^ a b c d e f g Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
5. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com