Numinous
/ˈnjuːmɪnəs/noun
Having a strong spiritual, mysterious, or awe-inspiring quality.
Did you know?Numinous comes from Latin numen, the “nod” or divine will of a god, so the word originally meant a force that seems to move reality from behind the veil.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
numen
“A nod; a divine will, command, or presence.”
Late Latin
Latin
numinosus
“Full of divine power; supernatural.”
Early 20th Century
English
numinous
“Describing a mysterious spiritual presence or holy awe.”
Modern English
English
numinous
“Characterized by a sense of the divine or the holy.”
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