anti-supernaturalism
|an-ti-su-per-nat-u-ral-ism|
🇺🇸
/ˌæntiˌsuːpərˈnætʃrəlɪzəm/
🇬🇧
/ˌæntiˌsuːpəˈnætʃrəlɪzəm/
against belief in the supernatural
Etymology
'anti-supernaturalism' is formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') combined with 'supernaturalism' (from 'supernatural' + '-ism').
'supernatural' comes from Latin components 'super-' ('above, beyond') + 'naturalis' ('natural'); the suffix '-ism' created 'supernaturalism' to denote a doctrine, and English formed 'anti-supernaturalism' by prefixing 'anti-' to express opposition in modern usage (19th–20th century formation in philosophical and theological contexts).
Initially it simply indicated opposition to 'supernaturalism' as a doctrine; over time it has come to denote a broader critical stance toward supernatural claims in philosophy, science, and theology.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
opposition to belief in the supernatural; the stance or doctrine that rejects or denies supernatural claims (e.g., miracles, spirits) and treats such claims as false, unwarranted, or not credible.
Her writings defend anti-supernaturalism, arguing that alleged miracles have natural explanations.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/24 22:10