numen

English

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈnjuːmən/

Noun

numen (plural numina)

1. a divinity, especially a local or presiding god
   • 1965, Thomas Pynchon, The Crying of Lot 49:

     Where were Secretaries James and Foster and Senator Joseph, those dear daft numina who’d mothered over Oedipa’s so temperate youth?

   • 1985, Anthony Burgess, Kingdom of the Wicked:

     It was the solid and immovable tabernacle of the living numen whose son he had known, though but briefly and not intimately, in the flesh, and whose message he accepted with all his heart.

See also

• numinous
• numinal

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Latin

Etymology

Of Proto-Indo-European origin. Cognate with Ancient Greek νεύω (“nod, beckon”).

Noun

nūmen (genitive nūminis); n, third declension

1. a nod of the head
2. divine sway or will
3. divine power or right
4. divinity

Inflection

Number	Singular	Plural
nominative	nūmen	nūmina
genitive	nūminis	nūminum
dative	nūminī	nūminibus
accusative	nūmen	nūmina
ablative	nūmine	nūminibus
vocative	nūmen	nūmina

References

• Michiel de Vaan, Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Brill, 2008, page 419

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Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈnʊmen/

Verb

numen

1. Past participle of niman

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Spanish

Etymology

From Latin numen.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈnu.men/

Noun

numen m (plural numina)

1. numen
2. muse (source of inspiration)

Synonyms

• (source of inspiration): inspiración, musa

References

"numen" in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima segunda edición (Dictionary of the Spanish Language, Twenty-Second Edition), Real Academia Española (Royal Spanish Academy), 2001.