numen
/ˈnjuːmən/ IELTSAcademic
noun
A numen is a divine power or spirit thought to live in a place, object, or person. It is often used in religious, literary, or philosophical writing.
- The poet described a numen in the old forest.
- She felt a numen in the quiet temple.
- The writer used numen in a very serious way.
Adinary Nuance
Numen is close to words like "spirit," "deity," and "presence," but it sounds more learned and abstract. Writers use it when they want a sense of sacred power, not a clear human-like god. It is not common in everyday speech. In modern English, it often appears in poetry, religion, or academic writing.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- thần linh
- Spanish
- numen
- Chinese
- 神灵
- Japanese
- 霊性
- Korean
- 신성
Etymology
Numen comes from Latin, where it meant a divine will or presence. English borrowed it in the 1600s, mainly for learned and literary writing.
Common phrases
a numen of the forestdivine numenthe numen of a place
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is numen a common English word?
- No, it is rare. You will mostly see it in literary, religious, or academic writing.
- How is numen different from spirit?
- Spirit is more general and more common. Numen sounds more formal and suggests a sacred power.
- Can I use numen in everyday conversation?
- Usually no. It may sound unusual unless you are talking about religion, literature, or philosophy.