What does supernaturalize mean?
Supernaturalize is a verb meaning to make something appear supernatural or to regard it as belonging to a realm beyond ordinary nature. It is especially useful when discussing literature, folklore, art, or storytelling, where an ordinary object, place, or event is presented as miraculous, spiritual, or governed by forces that cannot be explained naturally. The word can describe either the imaginative act of creating that effect or the interpretive act of treating something as supernatural. Its formation is transparent: “supernatural” supplies the central idea and the suffix “-ize” adds the sense of making or rendering. Though relatively uncommon in everyday speech, supernaturalize is precise in criticism and creative contexts, where it distinguishes the treatment of an event from a claim that the event actually occurred. Its British and American spellings are “supernaturalise” and “supernaturalize,” respectively.
verbTo treat, render, or regard something as supernatural rather than natural.
- To treat, render, or regard something as supernatural.
"The novelist supernaturalizes the forest by making it seem alive with ancient spirits."
"The film supernaturalizes the mountains, giving them a presence that feels almost sacred."
"Rather than explain the phenomenon, the story supernaturalizes it and leaves its origin mysterious."
To supernaturalize something is to cross the boundary between the natural world and the realm of the miraculous.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does supernaturalize come from?
The word is formed from “supernatural,” a term rooted in Latin super-, meaning “above” or “beyond,” and natura, meaning “nature.” The suffix “-ize” was added in the modern English period to create a verb expressing the act of making or treating something in the stated way. The older form “supernatural” is therefore the principal source and semantic base of “supernaturalize.”
Related word forms
How supernaturalize is actually used
This is a relatively uncommon literary and analytical verb. It is especially used when an author, artist, or storyteller transforms something ordinary into something apparently supernatural. The British spelling is usually “supernaturalise.”