lumen

See also: lúmen

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin lūmen (“light, an opening”). Use as a unit was first adopted by French physicist André Blondel in 1894.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈluːmən/
• (General American) enPR: lo͞oʹmən, IPA^(key): /ˈlumən/

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uːmən
• Hyphenation: lu‧men

Noun

lumen (plural lumens or lumina)

1. (physics) In the International System of Units, the derived unit of luminous flux; the light that is emitted in a solid angle of one steradian from a source of one candela. Symbol: lm.
2. (anatomy) The cavity or channel within a tube or tubular organ.
3. (botany) The cavity bounded by a plant cell wall.
4. (medicine) The bore of a tube such as a hollow needle or catheter.

Derived terms

• decalumen
• endolumen
• kilolumen
• lumenal
• lumenally
• lumened
• lumen-hour
• lumenize
• lumenless
• lumen method
• lumenogenesis
• lumen second
• lumen-second
• multilumen
• teralumen

Related terms

• candela
• luminal
• lux

Translations

SI-unit for luminous flux

• Arabic: لُومِن m (lūmin)
• Armenian: լյումեն (hy) (lyumen)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 流明 (zh) (liúmíng)

• Czech: lumen (cs) m
• Finnish: luumen (fi)
• French: lumen (fr)
• German: Lumen (de) n
• Greek: λούμεν (el) n (loúmen)
• Indonesian: lumen (id)
• Japanese: ルーメン (ja) (rūmen)
• Korean: 루멘 (rumen)
• Malay: lumen
• Polish: lumen (pl) m
• Portuguese: lúmen (pt) m
• Romanian: lumen (ro) m
• Russian: лю́мен (ru) m (ljúmen)
• Swedish: lumen (sv)
• Tagalog: lumen
• Thai: ลูเมน (luu-men)

anatomy: cavity within tubular organ

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 內腔 / 内腔 (nèiqiāng)

• Finnish: lumen (fi), ontelo (fi)
• Hebrew: נהור m (n'hor)
• Japanese: 内腔 (ja) (ないくう, naikū)
• Korean: 내강(內腔) (naegang)
• Portuguese: lúmen (pt) m
• Romanian: lumen (ro) m

botany: cavity bounded by cell wall

• Finnish: lumen (fi), ontelo (fi)
• Romanian: lumen (ro) m
• Russian: по́лость (ru) f (pólostʹ)

medicine: bore of a tube

• Finnish: lumen (fi)

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈlumɛn]
• Hyphenation: lu‧men

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Latin lumen.

Noun

lumen m inan

1. lumen (unit of luminous flux)

Declension

Declension of lumen (hard masculine inanimate)

	singular	plural
nominative	lumen	lumeny
genitive	lumenu	lumenů
dative	lumenu	lumenům
accusative	lumen	lumeny
vocative	lumene	lumeny
locative	lumenu	lumenech
instrumental	lumenem	lumeny

Etymology 2

Noun

lumen m anim

1. capable talented person

Declension

Declension of lumen (hard masculine animate)

	singular	plural
nominative	lumen	lumenové, lumeni
genitive	lumena	lumenů
dative	lumenovi, lumenu	lumenům
accusative	lumena	lumeny
vocative	lumene	lumenové, lumeni
locative	lumenovi, lumenu	lumenech
instrumental	lumenem	lumeny

Further reading

• “lumen”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “lumen”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989

Finnish

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Latin lumen.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlu(ː)men/, [ˈlu(ː)me̞n]
• Rhymes: -umen
• Syllabification^(key): lu‧men
• Hyphenation^(key): lu‧men

Noun

lumen

1. (physics, anatomy, botany, medicine) lumen

Declension

Inflection of lumen (Kotus type 6/paperi, no gradation)
nominative		lumen	lumenit
genitive		lumenin	lumenien lumeneiden lumeneitten
partitive		lumenia	lumeneita lumeneja
illative		lumeniin	lumeneihin
		singular	plural
nominative		lumen	lumenit
accusative	nom.	lumen	lumenit
	gen.	lumenin
genitive		lumenin	lumenien lumeneiden lumeneitten
partitive		lumenia	lumeneita lumeneja
inessive		lumenissa	lumeneissa
elative		lumenista	lumeneista
illative		lumeniin	lumeneihin
adessive		lumenilla	lumeneilla
ablative		lumenilta	lumeneilta
allative		lumenille	lumeneille
essive		lumenina	lumeneina
translative		lumeniksi	lumeneiksi
abessive		lumenitta	lumeneitta
instructive		—	lumenein
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of lumen (Kotus type 6/paperi, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative lumenini lumenini accusative nom. lumenini lumenini gen. lumenini genitive lumenini lumenieni lumeneideni lumeneitteni partitive lumeniani lumeneitani lumenejani inessive lumenissani lumeneissani elative lumenistani lumeneistani illative lumeniini lumeneihini adessive lumenillani lumeneillani ablative lumeniltani lumeneiltani allative lumenilleni lumeneilleni essive lumeninani lumeneinani translative lumenikseni lumeneikseni abessive lumenittani lumeneittani instructive — — comitative — lumeneineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative lumenisi lumenisi accusative nom. lumenisi lumenisi gen. lumenisi genitive lumenisi lumeniesi lumeneidesi lumeneittesi partitive lumeniasi lumeneitasi lumenejasi inessive lumenissasi lumeneissasi elative lumenistasi lumeneistasi illative lumeniisi lumeneihisi adessive lumenillasi lumeneillasi ablative lumeniltasi lumeneiltasi allative lumenillesi lumeneillesi essive lumeninasi lumeneinasi translative lumeniksesi lumeneiksesi abessive lumenittasi lumeneittasi instructive — — comitative — lumeneinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative lumenimme lumenimme accusative nom. lumenimme lumenimme gen. lumenimme genitive lumenimme lumeniemme lumeneidemme lumeneittemme partitive lumeniamme lumeneitamme lumenejamme inessive lumenissamme lumeneissamme elative lumenistamme lumeneistamme illative lumeniimme lumeneihimme adessive lumenillamme lumeneillamme ablative lumeniltamme lumeneiltamme allative lumenillemme lumeneillemme essive lumeninamme lumeneinamme translative lumeniksemme lumeneiksemme abessive lumenittamme lumeneittamme instructive — — comitative — lumeneinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative lumeninne lumeninne accusative nom. lumeninne lumeninne gen. lumeninne genitive lumeninne lumenienne lumeneidenne lumeneittenne partitive lumenianne lumeneitanne lumenejanne inessive lumenissanne lumeneissanne elative lumenistanne lumeneistanne illative lumeniinne lumeneihinne adessive lumenillanne lumeneillanne ablative lumeniltanne lumeneiltanne allative lumenillenne lumeneillenne essive lumeninanne lumeneinanne translative lumeniksenne lumeneiksenne abessive lumenittanne lumeneittanne instructive — — comitative — lumeneinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative lumeninsa lumeninsa accusative nom. lumeninsa lumeninsa gen. lumeninsa genitive lumeninsa lumeniensa lumeneidensa lumeneittensa partitive lumeniaan lumeniansa lumeneitaan lumenejaan lumeneitansa lumenejansa inessive lumenissaan lumenissansa lumeneissaan lumeneissansa elative lumenistaan lumenistansa lumeneistaan lumeneistansa illative lumeniinsa lumeneihinsa adessive lumenillaan lumenillansa lumeneillaan lumeneillansa ablative lumeniltaan lumeniltansa lumeneiltaan lumeneiltansa allative lumenilleen lumenillensa lumeneilleen lumeneillensa essive lumeninaan lumeninansa lumeneinaan lumeneinansa translative lumenikseen lumeniksensa lumeneikseen lumeneiksensa abessive lumenittaan lumenittansa lumeneittaan lumeneittansa instructive — — comitative — lumeneineen lumeneinensa

Alternative forms

• luumen

Further reading

• “lumen”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 1 July 2023

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlumen/, [ˈlume̞n]
• Rhymes: -umen
• Syllabification^(key): lu‧men
• Hyphenation^(key): lu‧men

Noun

lumen

1. genitive singular of lumi

Anagrams

• lemun, melun

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin lumen.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ly.mɛn/

• Audio (Paris):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Lyon)):

  (file)

Noun

lumen m (plural lumens)

1. (physics) lumen (SI unit of measurement)
2. (anatomy) lumen
3. (botany) lumen

Further reading

• “lumen”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Latin

Etymology

From Proto-Italic *louksmən, from Proto-Indo-European *léwk-s-mn̥, derived from the root *lewk- (“bright”). By surface analysis, lū(x) +‎ -men.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈɫuː.mɛn]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈluː.men]

Noun

lūmen n (genitive lūminis); third declension

1. light, source of light

   Synonym: lūx

2. (poetic) the eyes
   • 29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 4.185:

     [...] nec dulcī dēclīnat lūmina somnō.

     [Rumor] never closes her eyes in sweet slumber.

3. (poetic) daylight
   • 29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 6.356
4. (poetic) brightness
5. (poetic) the light of life
   • 8 CE – 12 CE, Ovidius, Tristia 4.4.45
6. An opening through which light can penetrate such as an air-hole or a window.
7. The opening or orifice in a water-pipe or funnel
8. (figuratively) a luminary, star, light (a most distinguished person)

Declension

Third-declension noun (neuter, imparisyllabic non-i-stem).

	singular	plural
nominative	lūmen	lūmina
genitive	lūminis	lūminum
dative	lūminī	lūminibus
accusative	lūmen	lūmina
ablative	lūmine	lūminibus
vocative	lūmen	lūmina

Derived terms

• lūmināre
• lūminātor
• lūminātus
• lūminō
• lūminōsus

Descendants

• Aromanian: lumi, lunjinã
• Asturian: llume
• Catalan: llum
• Friulian: lum
• Istriot: loûme
• Italian: lume
• Istro-Romanian: lume
• Ladin: lum
• Megleno-Romanian: lumi
• Mirandese: lhume
• Occitan: lum
• Old Galician-Portuguese: lume
  • Galician: lume
  • Portuguese: lume
• Piedmontese: lum
• Romanian: lume, lumină
• Sicilian: lumi
• Spanish: lumbre
• Borrowings:
  • → Catalan: lumen
  • → Czech: lumen
  • → English: lumen
  • → French: lumen
  • → German: Lumen
  • → Greek: λούμεν (loúmen)
  • → Italian: lumen
  • → Polish: lumen
  • → Portuguese: lúmen
  • → Romanian: lumen
  • → Russian: люмен (ljumen)
  • → Spanish: lumen
  • → Swedish: lumen

References

• “lumen”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “lumen”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• "lumen", in Charles du Fresne du Cange, Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• “lumen”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894), Latin Phrase-Book‎^[2], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to lose one's sight: oculos, lumina amittere
    
  • to deprive a person of his eyes: luminibus orbare aliquem
    
  • to obscure the mental vision: mentis quasi luminibus officere (vid. sect. XIII. 6) or animo caliginem offundere
    
  • shining lights in the literary world: clarissima litterarum lumina
    
  • flowers of rhetoric; embellishments of style: lumina, flores dicendi (De Or. 3. 25. 96)
    
  • to obstruct a person's view, shut out his light by building: luminibus alicuius obstruere, officere
    

Polish

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin lūmen.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlu.mɛn/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -umɛn
• Syllabification: lu‧men

Noun

lumen m inan (abbreviation lm)

1. (physics) lumen (derived SI unit of luminous flux; the light that is emitted in a solid angle of one steradian from a source of one candela)

Declension

Declension of lumen

	singular	plural
nominative	lumen	lumeny
genitive	lumena/lumenu	lumenów
dative	lumenowi	lumenom
accusative	lumen	lumeny
instrumental	lumenem	lumenami
locative	lumenie	lumenach
vocative	lumenie	lumeny

Derived terms

nouns

• lumenogodzina
• lumenometr
• lumenomierz
• lumenosekunda

Further reading

• “lumen”, in Wielki słownik języka polskiego‎^[3] (in Polish), Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• “lumen”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[4] (in Polish)
• lumen in PWN's encyclopedia

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin lumen, French lumen. Doublet of the inherited lume.

Noun

lumen m (plural lumeni)

1. (physics) lumen (SI unit of measurement)

Noun

lumen n (plural lumene)

1. (anatomy) lumen

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin lumen. Doublet of the inherited lumbre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlumen/ [ˈlu.mẽn]
• Rhymes: -umen
• Syllabification: lu‧men

Noun

lumen m (plural lúmenes)

1. lumen

Further reading

• “lumen”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Swedish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin lumen.

Noun

lumen

1. lumen (singular and plural)

Anagrams

• mulen, mulne