liminal

[ lim-uh-nl, lahy-muh- ]
/ ˈlɪm ə nl, ˈlaɪ mə- /

adjective Psychology.

of, relating to, or situated at the limen.

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Origin of liminal

1880–85; < Latin līmin- (stem of līmen) threshold + -al1

Words nearby liminal

limewater, limewood, limey, limicoline, limicolous, liminal, liminality, limit, limit dextrin, limit dextrinase, limit man
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for liminal

  • This may be technically expressed by saying that the liminal intensity (Schwelle) is raised during sleep.

    Illusions|James Sully

  • Meantime we are aware also of a substratum of fragmentary automatic, liminal ideas, of which we take small account.

    Human Personality and its Survival of Bodily Death|Frederick W. H. Myers

British Dictionary definitions for liminal

liminal
/ (ˈlɪmɪnəl) /

adjective

psychol relating to the point (or threshold) beyond which a sensation becomes too faint to be experienced

Word Origin for liminal

C19: from Latin līmen threshold
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for liminal

liminal
[ lĭm′ə-nəl ]

adj.

Relating to a threshold.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.