A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1490-1650
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Supernatural, adj. Also: -all, -ale. [e.m.E. supernaturall (1526), -al (1587), MF supernaturel (1375 in Larousse), med. L. supernaturalis.]
1. That transcends what is natural; that emanates from a higher sphere than the natural world; celestial, divine. 1490 Irland Mir. II 7/29.
The thevis & innemeis of hell tempand Adam … spolȝeit him and our natur of all gracis and giftis supernaturall 1490 Irland Mir. II 11/13.
The faith is a gud qualite that is foundment of all spirituale lif declarand the veriteis supernatural and hevinly that excedis our natur wit & ressoune 1490 Irland Mir. II 12/24.
Sene the eternall beatitud that we traist to haue is supernaturall we may nocht cum to it bot be knawlage supernatural gevin be God 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 46/4.
The speculatione of supernatural thingis as of the firmament and of the planetis 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 69/11.
In the middis of that mantil there vas grauit … diuerse sciensis diuyne ande humain vitht mony cheretabil actis ande supernatural miraclis a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 113/3.
That in the sacrament of the altare is contenit the verray real body and bluid of Jesu Crist our saluiour, and that be ane supernatural maner c1616 Hume Orthog. 2.
The hope of your majestie's judgement, quhom God hath indeued with light in a sorte supernatural, … to take a glim of a thing of so mean contemplation 1643 Sharpe Witchcraft 113.
The whole physicians called it supernaturall, and the haill substance of his bodie ran out at his cute 1650 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. LI (1975) 51.
Hir disease … looks verie lyke to be supernaturall … For if this last poynt of dittay were sufficientlie prowen … it would be found to be a consulting with the divell and by dywlish art a laying on of sicknes
2. Exceeding what is natural or normal; unnaturally strong, great or efficacious. 1528 Lynd. Dreme 38.
Off Hercules the actis honorabyll, And of Sampsone the supernaturall strenth 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 1/8.
It bringis furtht salutiffere … frute of honour, quhilk is ane immortal ande supernatural medicyne a1585 Maitland Quarto MS 108/22.
Sen hir [sc. Wisdom's] bontie supernaturall To bewtie couplit is collaterall
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"Supernatural adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/supernatural>
