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- Dictionarynumen/ˈnjuːmən/
noun
- 1. the spirit or divine power presiding over a thing or place: "the spirit of the place—its numen—was strong"
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Numen (plural numina) is a Latin term for "divinity", "divine presence", or "divine will". The Latin authors defined it as follows: Cicero writes of a "divine mind" (divina mens), a god "whose numen everything obeys", and a "divine power" (vis divina) "which pervades the lives of men".
: 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?
Numen definition: divine power or spirit; a deity, especially one presiding locally or believed to inhabit a particular object.. See examples of NUMEN used in a sentence.
Jun 2, 2024 · divine power or right. 8 CE, Ovid, Fasti 6.251–252: in prece tōtus eram: caelestia nūmina sēnsī, laetaque purpureā lūce refulsit humus. [As] I was rapt in prayer, I sensed [the presence of] heavenly powers, and the joyful ground gleamed with purple light.
Definition as a pre-animistic phase of religion. The expression Numen inest appears in Ovid 's Fasti (III, 296) and has been translated as 'There is a spirit here'. Its interpretation, and the exact sense of numen has been discussed extensively in the literature. [10]
Jul 22, 2024 · noun. a spirit believed to inhabit an object or preside over a place (especially in ancient Roman religion) see more.
Definition of 'numen' Word Frequency. numen in British English. (ˈnjuːmɛn ) noun Word forms: plural -mina (-mɪnə ) 1. (esp in ancient Roman religion) a deity or spirit presiding over a thing or place. 2. a guiding principle, force, or spirit. Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers. Word origin.
Overview. nūmen. Quick Reference. The ‘expressed will of a divinity’. It was indicated esp. by the nūtus, an inclination of the head. The numen of a divinity shows the actual and particular will of this deity. In general the numen concerns the gods and, under the empire, the ruling emperor.
1. A presiding divinity or spirit of a place. 2. A spirit believed by animists to inhabit certain natural phenomena or objects. 3. Creative energy; genius. [Latin nūmen, nod of the head, divine power, numen .] American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
Noun. Singular: numen. Plural: numina. Origin of Numen. Latin nūmen nod of the head, divine power, numen. From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition. Numen Sentence Examples.
