Word-Built World: Numinous

(merriam-webster.com)

numinous

adjective

nu·​mi·​nous | \ ˈnü-mə-nəs  , ˈnyü- \

Definition of numinous

1: SUPERNATURALMYSTERIOUS 2: filled with a sense of the presence of divinity HOLY 3: appealing to the higher emotions or to the aesthetic sense SPIRITUAL Other Words from numinous Synonyms Numinous and Supernatural Example Sentences Learn More about numinous

Other Words from numinous

numinousness \ ˈnü-​mə-​nəs-​nəs  , ˈnyü-​ \ noun

Synonyms for numinous

Synonyms

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Numinous and Supernatural

Numinous is from the Latin word numen, meaning “divine will” or “nod” (it suggests a figurative nodding, of assent or of command, of the divine head). English speakers have been using numen for centuries with the meaning “a spiritual force or influence.” We began using numinous in the mid-1600s, subsequently endowing it with several senses: “supernatural” or “mysterious” (as in “possessed of a numinous energy force”), “holy” (as in “the numinous atmosphere of the catacombs”), and “appealing to the aesthetic sense” (as in “the numinous nuances of her art”). We also created the nouns numinousness and numinosity, although these are rare.

(Submitted by Michael Kelly, H.W.)

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