nonnatural

adjective

non·​nat·​u·​ral ˌnän-ˈna-chə-rəl How to pronounce nonnatural (audio)
-ˈnach-rəl
: not natural
a nonnatural way of viewing things
Although these anomalous events are beyond nature, in one sense, proponents of them seek to offer some kind of empirical evidence to support their hypotheses that there are nonnatural, nonmaterial, or spiritual processes at work in the universe. Paul Kurtz
Three years from now, gunfire may surpass cars to become the leading cause of nonnatural death in the United States. Newsweek

Examples of nonnatural in a Sentence

pure vanilla extract that was made without any nonnatural ingredients
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Much of synthetic biology involves genetic engineering to introduce networks of genes that give cells new functions, such as manufacturing enzymes to make a nonnatural molecule. Philip Ball, Scientific American, 18 Apr. 2023 The latter discipline has racked up impressive achievements in retooling cells for nonnatural tasks—for example, programming bacteria to glow in the presence of pollutants and other chemicals. Philip Ball, Scientific American, 18 Apr. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonnatural was in 1650

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Cite this Entry

“Nonnatural.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonnatural. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.

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