What does miraculousness mean?
Miraculousness is a formal noun meaning the quality of being miraculous. It most commonly describes an event, recovery, or intervention understood as supernatural, although it can also emphasize how extraordinary or seemingly inexplicable an event is without necessarily making a religious claim. The word is related to the adjective “miraculous” and the noun “miracle,” but it focuses on the wonder or miraculous character of something rather than simply identifying the event itself. In ordinary conversation, people are more likely to say “the miracle of,” “the wonder of,” or “how miraculous.” Its elevated tone makes it especially suitable for literary, religious, historical, and reflective writing. Because miraculousness can sound abstract and occasionally old-fashioned, it is often used deliberately to add emphasis or a sense of awe. The related phrase “seemingly miraculous” is particularly common when the speaker wants to acknowledge an extraordinary event while leaving its explanation open.
nounThe quality or state of being miraculous, especially the supposed intervention of a supernatural power. It can also refer to the extraordinary or seemingly inexplicable character of an event or coincidence.
- The state or quality of being miraculous, especially as the result of supernatural intervention.
- The striking or seemingly inexplicable character of an event, recovery, coincidence, or achievement.
"The apparent miraculousness of the recovery astonished everyone involved."
"The villagers spoke of the miraculousness of the storm that had passed without harm."
"What seemed at first to be mere chance revealed a degree of miraculousness that challenged the investigators."
The plural is grammatically regular but rarely used; the noun is normally encountered in the singular.
"The accounts emphasized the miraculousnesses of the healing rather than offering a medical explanation."
Miraculousness turns the adjective miraculous into a noun: it names not the event itself, but the wonder surrounding it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does miraculousness come from?
The word comes from “miracle,” which derives through Old French from Latin miraculum, meaning “wonder” or “something marvelous,” ultimately from mirus, meaning “wonderful” or “amazing.” “Miraculous” and “miraculousness” were formed within the Latin-derived vocabulary of English, with the suffix -ous expressing a quality or state and the suffix -ness forming a noun from the adjective.
Related word forms
How miraculousness is actually used
The word is formal and relatively uncommon. It is more often used in literary, religious, or reflective contexts than in everyday speech, and it can convey wonder without making a claim that a supernatural event actually occurred.
Easily confused with miraculousness
“Miraculous” is an adjective describing something extraordinary or supernatural, whereas “miraculousness” is a noun naming that quality or state.