Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Of the nature of a miracle; preternatural.
  • adjective So astounding as to suggest a miracle; phenomenal.
  • adjective Able to work miracles.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Exceedingly surprising or wonderful; extraordinary; incomprehensible: as, a miraculous escape.
  • Of the nature of a miracle; working miracles; performed by, involving, or exhibiting a power beyond the ordinary agency of natural laws; supernatural.
  • Synonyms Preternatural, Superhuman, etc. See supernatural.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Of the nature of a miracle; performed by supernatural power; effected by the direct agency of almighty power, and not by natural causes.
  • adjective Supernatural; wonderful.
  • adjective Wonder-working.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Pertaining to miracles; referring to something that people can't explain.
  • adjective By supernatural or uncommon causes, e.g. by a god (only used when positive).

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective being or having the character of a miracle
  • adjective peculiarly fortunate or appropriate; as if by divine intervention

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English miraclous, from Old French miraculeux, from Medieval Latin mīrāculōsus, from Latin mīrāculum, miracle; see miracle.]

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word miraculous.

Examples

  • The Advertising Standards Authority received 98 complaints that the ads – two versions ran in national press – were offensive and the use of the term "miraculous", especially during Easter, was disrespectful to the Christian faith.

    'Jesus' mobile phone ad banned 2011

  • A total of 98 people complained to the ASA, citing the cartoon depiction of Christ and the Sacred Heart, the use of the term 'miraculous' and the fact that the advert was published on Maundy Thursday, close to Easter.

    Evening Standard - Home 2011

  • The ASA said the complaints had cited the cartoon depiction of Christ and the Sacred Heart, the use of the term "miraculous" for describing a mobile phone deal, and the fact that it was published on Maundy Thursday.

    BBC News - Home 2011

  • Amongst the rest, this and madness after a set time comes to many, which he calls a miraculous thing in nature, and sticks for ever to them as an incurable habit.

    Anatomy of Melancholy 2007

  • In that case -- well, he felt something very like awe before what he called her miraculous stupidity.

    The Tysons (Mr. and Mrs. Nevill Tyson) May Sinclair 1904

  • Sometimes it refers to what we call miraculous endowments, sometimes it refers to what we may call official capacity; but here it is evidently neither the one nor the other of these more limited and special things, but the general idea of a divine operation upon the human spirit which fills it with

    Expositions of Holy Scripture: Romans Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V) Alexander Maclaren 1868

  • And, for God's sake, do not give in to that miserable fancy that because these stories are what you call miraculous, therefore they have nothing to do with you -- that Samson's strength came to him miraculously by God's Spirit, and yet yours comes to you a different way.

    Twenty-Five Village Sermons Charles Kingsley 1847

  • That man is what we call a miraculous creature, with miraculous power over men; and, on the whole, with such a Life in him, and such a

    The French Revolution Thomas Carlyle 1838

  • "It's crazy," Miller said this week, months into what he calls a miraculous recovery from cyanide and heroin poisoning.

    timesunion.com: Local Breaking News 2009

  • There's also a reference to what they call a miraculous event that occurred during the weekend after Terri's feeding tube was removed and -- "Which fundamentally alters the manner in which Terri's claims are to be viewed by the federal courts when Congress, in bipartisan and dramatic fashion, thundered the message that the United States of America must stand for life, accuracy and fairness and in the process afforded an incapacitated woman," that apparently a reference, that miracle reference apparently to Barbara Weller, a lawyer who happens to be a friend of the parents, who said over the weekend that Terri Schiavo apparently tried to mouth the words "I want to live."

    CNN Transcript Mar 24, 2005 2005

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.