|
un·nat·u·ral
unnatural
|
|
- pronunciation:
- uhn
naech
rl
[or]
uhn
naech
rl
- features:
- Word Explorer, Word Parts
part of speech: |
adjective |
definition 1: |
not according to natural laws or processes.
It is unnatural for water to flow uphill.- synonyms:
- freak
- antonyms:
- natural
- similar words:
- eerie, extraordinary, peculiar, supernatural, uncanny, uncommon, unusual, weird
|
definition 2: |
not honest; pretended or artificial.
Kim has an unnatural smile in her school photograph.- synonyms:
- artificial
- antonyms:
- genuine, natural
- similar words:
- insincere, plastic
|
related words: |
eerie, grotesque, plastic, supernatural, uncanny, weird |
|
derivations: |
unnaturally (adv.), unnaturalness (n.) |
The word unnatural
contains the following parts:
un-1
Old English
prefix
that means not
More about this word part:
The prefix un1 attaches to adjectives to create adjectives that mean the opposite of the base word.
Example words:
unable, unaware, unbeaten, unbelievable, uncertain, unclear, uncomfortable, uncommon, unconscious, unconstitutional, uncooperative, undecided, undue, unemployed, uneasy, unequal, uneven, unfair, unfamiliar, unfortunate, unfriendly, unhappy, unhealthy, unimportant, uninhabited, uninterested, unkind, unknown, unlawful, unlike, unlimited, unlucky, unnatural, unnecessary, unpleasant, unpopular, unreliable, unreasonable, unsatisfactory, unstable, unsteady, untrue, unusual, unwell
- synonyms:
- dis-, de-, in-2
-al2, -ial, -ual
Latin
adjective-forming suffix
that means pertaining to
More about this word part:
The suffix -al2, -ial
attaches primarily to nouns ( national
, environmental
) but sometimes to Latin or Greek roots ( final
, capital
, comical
) to form adjectives. See also -ar1.
Example words:
abnormal, accidental, additional, aerial, annual, artificial, biblical, brutal, capital, central, chemical, classical, coastal, colonial, comical, commercial, confidential, constitutional, continual, controversial, conventional, criminal, critical, crucial, cultural, cylindrical, dental, detrimental, developmental, economical, editorial, educational, electrical, emotional, environmental, essential, equal, exceptional, experimental, facial, factual, federal, final, financial, floral, formal, functional, fundamental, general, global, grammatical, habitual, historical, hysterical, illogical, immoral, impersonal, impractical, individual, industrial, influential, internal, legal, local, logical, lyrical, magical, mathematical, memorial, mental, moral, mortal, musical, mythical, national, natural, nautical, neutral, normal, official, parental, personal, plural, political, potential, racial, rational, regional, irrational, intellectual, rhythmical, seasonal, spinal, spiritual, technological, thermal, tidal, traditional, tribal, typical, universal, unnatural, verbal, virtual, vocal, visual
|