Numinous

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈnjuːmɪnəs/

Definitions

1. Having a quality that evokes a sense of the divine or mystical, stirring feelings of wonder and sacredness while suggesting an underlying spiritual presence
2. Relating to an experience that is both awe-inspiring and deeply spiritual, often invoking mystery and a connection to the transcendent
3. Possessing an essence that suggests a sacred or divine presence ; inspiring profound admiration combined with a sense of enigmatic spirituality

Etymology: The most striking thing about "numinous" is that its Latin ancestor, "nūmen", may have grown from a simple gesture. Scholars differ on its origin: one proposal links it to Latin "nuō", "to nod", suggesting a divine sway conveyed by a nod of the head, while another traces it to the Greek "nooúmenon", an influence the mind can perceive but the senses cannot. That second route runs back to "nóos", meaning mind or thought, so the word may have begun as something grasped by the intellect rather than seen or heard. In Latin, "nūmen" covered divinity itself and the will or power of a god, and English later borrowed the adjective-forming suffix "-ous", which marks a quality or presence, to build "numinous". The result describes something that feels charged with the sacred and mysterious, a presence that seems to exceed ordinary experience.

Synonyms: spiritual, mystical, divine, sacred, transcendent

Antonyms: mundane, profane, secular, ordinary, earthly