paranormaladj.n.
/ˌparəˈnɔːml/, U.S. /ˌpɛrəˈnɔrm(ə)l/ A. adj.
Designating supposed psychical events and phenomena such as clairvoyance or telekinesis whose operation is outside the scope of the known laws of nature or of normal scientific understanding; of or relating to such phenomena. Cf. supernormal adj. and n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > the paranormal > [adjective]
psychical1836
psychic1871
supernormal1885
supranormal1889
paranormal1905
psionic1951
1905 L. I. Finch tr. J. Maxwell Metapsychical Phenomena vii. i. 376 Parakinesis is a paranormal movement with contact; telekinesis is a paranormal movement without contact.
1920 Webster's New Internat. Dict. Eng. Lang. Paranormal, designating phenomena analogous to physical phenomena but with no known physical cause, as mediumistic ‘raps’, telekinesis, etc.
1933 Philos. Rev. 42 442 The powers of paranormal action on matter attributed to a young man, capable of moving objects at a distance solely by mental action.
1955 A. Huxley Let. 30 June (1969) 749 Two ‘sensitives’, one who specializes in paranormal diagnosis, the other a ‘healer’.
1986 D. Koontz Strangers ii. iv. 301 The paranormal experience in Lomack's house on Tuesday, when countless paper moons took orbit around him.
1998 UFO Mag. Jan. 33/3 I have experienced at least one paranormal episode since the incident.
B. n.
With the. Paranormal phenomena collectively, esp. as a field of research or study.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > the paranormal > [noun]
supernormal1885
psychic1909
paranormal1930
psi1942
1930 Jrnl. Abnormal & Social Psychol. 24 430 Hallucination and paramnesia are examples of the paranormal.
1958 J. Blish Case of Conscience (1959) i. 82 He has no belief in the supernatural—or, as we're calling it in our barbarous jargon these days, the ‘paranormal’.
1968 New Scientist 24 Oct. 209/2 The out-of-the-body or ‘ecsomatic’ experience has long been familiar to students of the paranormal.
1973 Daily Colonist (Victoria, Brit. Columbia) 19 Apr. 5/2 Critics who dislike the seemingly paranormal condemn the claims with a vehemence beyond objective scientific candor.
1993 Bks. in Canada Apr. 51/1 It's not that she wants to squelch all belief in ghosts, goblins, the paranormal, and all associated gimcrackery.
Derivatives
paraˈnormalist n. a student, expert, or exponent of the paranormal.
ΚΠ
1981 United Press Internat. Newswire (Nexis) 27 Feb. [An award] to the media organization that supports the most outrageous claims of the paranormalists.
1996 Independent on Sunday 19 May (Review Suppl.) 48/3 I'd happily give £1,000 to the favourite charity of any paranormalist..who can demonstrate telepathy or psychokinesis under controlled conditions.
paranorˈmality n. the state or character of being paranormal.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > the paranormal > [noun] > state of being
paranormality1953
1953 Q. Rev. Biol. 28 404/1 Certain ‘queer facts’ related to ‘supernormality’ or ‘paranormality’.
1983 New Scientist 24 Nov. 580/3 Individual claims to paranormality.
paraˈnormally adv. by paranormal means.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > the paranormal > [adverb]
supernormally1895
paranormally1950
psionically1964
1950 A. Huxley Themes & Variations 133 The general tendency of ideas to embody themselves at any price and by fair means or foul, normally or paranormally.
1990 L. Picknett Encycl. Paranormal 18/1 Objects that manifest paranormally are known as ‘apports’.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1905