numen
Americannoun
-
numina
plural
noun
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(esp in ancient Roman religion) a deity or spirit presiding over a thing or place
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a guiding principle, force, or spirit
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of numen
1620–30; < Latin nūmen a nod, command, divine will or power, divinity; akin to nūtāre to nod the head in commanding or assent
Vocabulary lists containing numen
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Dieu est le superlatif, dont le positif est lhomme, says Carl Vogt; meaning, that the popular idea of a numen is that of a magnified and non-natural man.
From The Kasidah of Haji Abdu El-Yezdi by Sir Richard Francis Burton
As flumen is that which actively flows, so numen is that which actively does whatever we understand by the word nuere; and so far as we can determine, that was a manifestation of will.
From The Religious Experience of the Roman People From the Earliest Times to the Age of Augustus by W. Warde Fowler
Such a landlord or employer is a praesens numen to his workpeople or tenants.
From Moral Philosophy by Joseph Rickaby, S.J.
"And don't I say, as the ould heathen philosopher did of fortune, 'Nullum numen habes, si sit prudentia'?"
From The Fortunes Of Glencore by Charles James Lever
No doubt later the Genius was accredited with powers over the fortune and misfortune of his possessor, but he never really developed anything like the independence of a god, and remained always rather a numen.
From The Religion of Ancient Rome by Cyril Bailey
The earliest Romans worshiped powerful spirits or divine forces, called numina, that they thought resided in everything around them.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2012
The numina montanum were sons of Gaea, Hazel’s least favorite goddess.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
The scene disappeared in the fog, but when the mountain god bellowed again, other numina answered in the distance, their voices echoing through the valleys.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
Standing at the summit was a mountain god—one of the numina montanum, Jason had called them.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
Unfortunately, Hazel guessed, judging from their last two encounters, Leo’s newest weapon had only annoyed the numina.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
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