Paranormal means beyond what science can explain. Paranormal activity, a paranormal investigator, paranormal claims.
The para- means beside or beyond, so the word claims something sits outside normal explanation rather than contradicting it. No paranormal claim has survived properly controlled testing, and the standing prize offers for one went unclaimed for decades.
1adjectiveparanormalBeyond what science can explain.
“She claims the old house is full of paranormal activity, like doors that open by themselves.”
paranormal is a quality.
Para, beside or beyond, plus normal, first recorded about 1905.
Persian
پاره
ota
پاره
Serbo-Croatian
pàra//па̀ра
English
para
English, today
paranormal
From para + normal; compare supernatural. First use appears c. 1905. para Borrowed from Serbo-Croatian pàra//па̀ра, from ota پاره, from Persian پاره.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA