metadivine
English
[edit]Alternative forms
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From meta- + divine, a calque of Hebrew עַל־אֱלֹהִי (ʿal-ʾĕlōhî, “beyond-godly”), הֲוָיָה עַל־אֱלֹהִית (hăwāyāh ʿal-ʾĕlōhît̲, “beyond-godly existence”) as used by Yehezkel Kaufmann.
Adjective
[edit]metadivine (not comparable)
- (religion) Of or pertaining to the realm of existence prior to or beyond that of the gods, especially in nonbiblical/pagan religions.
- 1960, Yehezkel Kaufmann, “Chapter II: Pagan Religion”, in Moshe Greenberg, transl., The Religion of Israel, University of Chicago, →OCLC, page 23:
- There are two realms: that of divine powers, another of the metadivine.1 Even the gods are depicted as calling upon metadivine forces to surmount their own predestined limitations.