perinormal

English

Etymology

From peri- "near-" and normal, by analogy with paranormal. In sense 2, apparently coined by Richard Dawkins, though he does not claim to have been its sole originator.

Adjective

perinormal (not comparable)

1. (medicine) Prepathological; lying between normal and pathological.
2. Having previously been thought to be a paranormal phenomenon, but having since been scientifically verified as natural.
   • 2007 March 3, Sam Vaknin, Ph.D., “Parapsychology and the Paranormal”, The Paranormal & Ghost Society, Google Groups

     The eventual acceptance by the scientific community and incorporation into the mainstream of science of phenomena that were once considered paranormal and then perinormal (e.g., hypnotism).