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Numinous: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Numinous adjective. Filled with a sense of the holy or mysterious, inspiring awe and a feeling of something greater.
How to say it
NYOO-mih-nus/ˈnjuːmɪnəs/
3 syllables, stressed on the first (NYOO).
Numinous in a sentence
Even non-believers felt something numinous in the cathedral's candlelit silence.
The northern lights gave the frozen lake a numinous glow.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- spiritual
- sacred
- awe-inspiring
- mystical
Opposite:
- mundane
- profane
Where numinous comes from
From Latin numen, divine power; Rudolf Otto's 1917 book The Idea of the Holy made it a key term.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The northern lights gave the frozen lake a _____ glow.
- numinous
- sectarian
- eristic
Show the answer
numinous: The northern lights gave the frozen lake a numinous glow.