metadivine

English

Alternative forms

• meta-divine

Etymology

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

metadivine (not comparable)

1. (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.