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numen

noun
nu·​men | \ ˈnü-mÉ™n How to pronounce numen (audio) , ˈnyü-\
plural numina\ ˈnü-​mÉ™-​nÉ™ How to pronounce numina (audio) , ˈnyü-​ \

Definition of numen

: a spiritual force or influence often identified with a natural object, phenomenon, or place

Did You Know?

How did numen, a Latin term meaning "nod of the head," come to be associated with spiritual power? The answer lies in the fact that the ancient Romans saw divine force and power operating in the inanimate objects and nonhuman phenomena around them. They believed that the gods had the power to command events and to consent to actions, and the idea of a god nodding suggested his or her awesome abilities-divine power. Eventually, Latin speakers began using numen to describe the special divine force of any object, place, or phenomenon that inspired awe (a mystical-seeming wooded grove, for example, or the movement of the sun), and numen made the semantic leap from "nod" to "divine will or power." English speakers adopted the word during the 1600s.

First Known Use of numen

15th century, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for numen

Latin, nod, divine will, numen; akin to Latin nutare to nod, Greek neuein

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More from Merriam-Webster on numen

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with numen

Spanish Central: Translation of numen

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about numen

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