adj · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK:/suːˈpɜː.nəl/
UK:/sjuːˈpɜː.nəl/
UK:/sʊˈpɜː.nəl/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/suˈpɝ.nəl/
General-American:/sʊˈpɝ.nəl/
General-American:/səˈpɝ.nəl/
rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)nəl
1
adj
Meaning 1
Pertaining to heaven or to the sky; celestial.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Exalted, exquisite, superlative.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adjective
Meaning 3
being or coming from on high
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
interpret the plague as a visitation from heaven, a supernal punishment for the sins of men
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: infernal
4
adjective satellite
Meaning 4
of heaven or the spirit
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
celestial peace
ethereal melodies
the supernal happiness of a quiet death
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: celestial, ethereal
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Old French supernel or Medieval Latin supernālis, from Latin supernus, from superum (“celestial regions, heavenly bodies”).
Across languages
Translations
38 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
небесен
(nebesen)
— pertaining to heaven or to the sky
Bulgarian:
божествен
(božestven)
— pertaining to heaven or to the sky
Finnish:
taivaallinen
— pertaining to heaven or to the sky
French:
céleste
— pertaining to heaven or to the sky
German:
himmlisch
— pertaining to heaven or to the sky
German:
überirdisch
— pertaining to heaven or to the sky
Italian:
celeste
— pertaining to heaven or to the sky
Italian:
celestiale
— pertaining to heaven or to the sky
Latin:
supernus
— pertaining to heaven or to the sky
Norwegian:
hinsides
— pertaining to heaven or to the sky
Norwegian:
overjordisk
— pertaining to heaven or to the sky
Norwegian:
som kommer fra det høye
— pertaining to heaven or to the sky
Norwegian:
guddommelig
— pertaining to heaven or to the sky
Norwegian:
himmelsk
— pertaining to heaven or to the sky
Polish:
niebiański
— pertaining to heaven or to the sky
Russian:
небе́сный
(nebésnyj)
— pertaining to heaven or to the sky
Russian:
боже́ственный
(božéstvennyj)
— pertaining to heaven or to the sky
Russian:
неземной
(nezemnoj)
— pertaining to heaven or to the sky
Spanish:
celestial
— pertaining to heaven or to the sky
Swedish:
himmelsk
— pertaining to heaven or to the sky