numinous

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Of or relating to a numen (divinity); indicating the presence of a divinity.
  2. Evoking a sense of the mystical, sublime, or transcendent; awe-inspiring.

Pronunciation

/ˈnjuːmɪnəs/ /ˈn(j)umənəs/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-numinous.wav

Word forms

numinous more numinous most numinous

Etymology

From Latin nūmen (“nod of the head; divine sway or will; divinity”) + -ous (suffix forming adjectives from nouns, denoting possession or presence of a quality). Nūmen is believed to derive either from Latin *nuō (“to nod”) or from Ancient Greek νοούμενον (nooúmenon, “influence perceptible by the mind but not the senses”) (ultimately from νόος (nóos, “mind; thought; purpose”)).

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