paraphenomenal

P3A1R1A1P3H4E1N1O1M3E1N1A1L1

adjective

Beyond ordinary phenomena; supernatural or paranormal.

OriginEnglish phenomenal ← French phénoména ← Ancient Greek φαινόμενον (phainómenon) →
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Meanings

adjectiveparaphenomenal (not comparable)
  1. not comparableBeyond ordinary phenomena; supernatural or paranormal.

    […] that in death the individual takes leave of its animal existence and passes into the transcendental, paraphenomenal realm of intrinsic being, or will.

    2000, Akira Mizuta Lippit, Electric Animal: Toward a Rhetoric of Wildlife, page 43
    2 more examples

    But James Mill is not so convinced, and refutes the Kantian claim, denying that a transcendental consciousness can be so isolated from the act of perceiving and set up as a paraphenomenal comptroller apart and behind consciousness as auditor of self-conscious impressions.

    1962, Ruth Reyna, The Philosophy of Matter in the Atomic Era, page 193

    This awareness, with all its latent power of expression in paraphenomenal events and abilities, is only another advance into the depths of Spirit. This range connects with others in a direct, psychic sense […]

    1999, Lee Irwin, Awakening to Spirit: On Life, Illumination, and Being, page 117

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*per-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*preh₂-
  3. Proto-Hellenic*pərai
  4. Ancient Greekπᾰρᾰ́ (părắ)
  5. Ancient Greekπᾰρᾰ- (pără-)
  6. Englishpara-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*bʰh₂nyéti
  9. Proto-Hellenic*pʰáňňō
  10. Ancient Greekφαίνω (phaínō)
  11. Ancient Greekφαινόμενον (phainómenon)
  12. Late Latinphaenomenon
  13. Englishphenomenon
  14. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  15. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  16. Ancient Greekφαινόμενον (phainómenon)
  17. Frenchphénomène
  18. Frenchphénoména
  19. Englishphenomenal
  20. Englishparaphenomenal

From para- + phenomenal.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

paraphenomenal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paraphenomenal

MLA

“paraphenomenal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paraphenomenal. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “paraphenomenal,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paraphenomenal.

Source: paraphenomenal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.