Numinous

Meanings

1. Having a strong spiritual or religious quality
2. Indicating the presence of a divinity
3. Awe-inspiring and mysterious

Example Sentences

• "Standing before the ancient temples of Hampi, she felt a numinous presence."
• "The numinous glow of dawn over the Ganges at Varanasi moves even the most secular visitor."
• "His poetry captures the numinous quality of the Himalayan landscape."

Etymology

From Latin 'numen' (divine power, divine will), from 'nuere' (to nod) — the nod of a god signifying divine will. Popularized by theologian Rudolf Otto in 'The Idea of the Holy' (1917) to describe the non-rational experience of the divine.

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