a. (sb.) rare. [See SUPRA- 4 a and NATURAL. Cf. F. supranaturalisme, -iste.] = SUPERNATURAL.
1857. P. Freeman, Princ. Div. Serv., II. 32. To express … their … conceptions of the divine and supranatural element in the subject.
1874. J. H. Blunt, Dict. Sects, 125/1. A mechanical Deity that is only so far supra-natural as that Infinite Substance must always stand in antagonism with the finite.
1908. John Dewey, in Hibbert Jrnl., July, 808. We measure the change from the standpoint of the supranatural and we call it irreligious.
So Supranaturalism, Supranaturalist, Supranaturalistic a., Supra-nature (= SUPERNATURALISM, etc.).
1828–32. Webster (citing Murdock), Supranaturalism.
1842. Brande, Dict. Sci., etc., Supranaturalists, a name given of late years to the middle party among the divines of Germany, to distinguish them from the Rationalists,… and from the Evangelical party.
1846. Geo. Eliot, trans. Strauss’ Life Jesus, Introd. § 11. I. 46. Those theologians … who think to unite both parties by this middle course—a vain endeavour which the rigid supranaturalist pronounces heretical, and the rationalist derides.
1846. Worcester (citing P. Cyc.), Supranaturalistic.
1852. Bibliotheca Sacra, IX. 659. He [Bretschneider] had begun with being a rationalistic supranaturalist; he ended with being at most a supranaturalistic rationalist.
1856. R. A. Vaughan, Mystics (1866), II. XIII. i. 250. They sought … for a sign; and in their credulous incredulity, grew greedy of every supranaturalism except the scriptural.
1866. Chambers’ Encycl., VIII. 120/2. The struggle between Rationalism and Supranaturalism.
1890. J. F. Smith, trans. Pfleiderer’s Developm. Theol., II. ii. 122. The difficulties of the supranaturalistic theology.
1908. John Dewey, in Hibbert Jrnl., July, 808. It is increased knowledge of nature which has made supra-nature incredible, or at least difficult of belief.
