a. (sb.) [f. late L. supercælestis Gr. ὑπερουράνιος: see SUPER 1 a, 4, and CELESTIAL. Cf. obs. F. superceleste; It. sopracceleste, Pg. sobreceleste; Sp., Pg. sobrecelestial.]
1. That is above the heavens; situated or existing above the firmament.
1559. W. Cunningham, Cosmogr. Glasse, 2. Ptolomæus, Atlas, and Alphonsus … founde out the maruelous course and sondry motions, of the supercelestiall bodies.
1561. [see SUBCELESTIAL A.].
1635. Swan, Spec. Mundi (1670), 31. How can it therefore be that these should be those supercelestial waters separated from all other waters by the firmament, seeing the firmament is above them!
1660. Ingelo, Bentiv. & Ur., II. (1682), Index Hh ij b. Hyperurania,… Supercelestial things, which the Gnosticks bragg’d that they were able to see.
1684. T. Burnet, Th. Earth, I. 16. Some have thought those to be waters plac’d above the highest heavens, or super-celestial waters.
1744. Berkeley, Siris, § 366. What this philosopher in his Phædrus speaketh of the supercelestial region, and the divinity resident therein.
1847. Lewes, Hist. Philos. (1867), I. VI. iv. 250. No poet has ever celebrated these supercelestial things, nor ever will celebrate them, as they deserve.
2. More than heavenly; of a nature or character higher than celestial.
1561. Daus, trans. Bullinger on Apoc. (1573), 19. The augmentation of the supercelestiall grace and lyght.
1578. J. Jones, Preserv. Bodie & Soule, Ep. Ded. The supercelestiall or not to be seene graces in God are very manifestly knowen by his most wonderful workes.
1644. Sir E. Dering, Prop. Sacr., ii. 17. A … supercelestiall,… life-giving mystery.
1672. Sterry, Freed. Will (1675), 239. Jesus Christ is a supernatural, supercælestial Spirit, far above the nature of Souls or Angels in the first Creation.
a. 1711. Ken, Hymns Evang., Poet. Wks. 1721, I. 97. Discourse salvifick, he at Meals instill’d, And Souls with Food supercelestial fill’d.
1826. G. S. Faber, Diffic. Romanism (1853), 263. That they might learn the flesh which he would give them to be supercelestial and spiritual food.
1856. R. A. Vaughan, Mystics (1860), II. IX. iii. 138. To the higher faculty, then, there are already visible … gleams of a super-celestial dawn.
1902. W. M. Alexander, Demon. Possession in N. T., viii. 227. These evil powers … drag them down from God and super-celestial things to those below.
† b. In ironical or trivial use. Obs.
1566. W. P., trans. Curio’s Pasquine in Traunce, 110 b. They are altogether idle questions of vayne things, crooked, more than supercelestiall, crabbed, and Seraphicall.
1576. Knewstub, Confut., etc. (1579), 39. Hee hath … ouerthrowen all H. N. his spiritual constructions, and supercelesticall [sic] interpretations.
1603. Florio, Montaigne, III. xiii. (1632), 630. Supercelestiall opinions, and under-terrestriall manners, are things, that amongst us, I have ever seene to bee of singular accord.
† B. sb. A supercelestial being. Obs. rare–1.
1652. Benlowes, Theoph., Pref. This spiritual Poem, which treateth on Sub-cælestials, Cælestials and Super-cælestials.
