numen

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈnuː.mɛn]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈnuː.men]^[1]

Forms

nūmen n (genitive nūminis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from ⟨*nuō⟩ “to nod”, as in nūtō and nūtus, with the suffix -men, so “a nod”, the will of the gods shown by a nod.^[2][1][3] Varro says ⟨nūmen⟩ is command, named from the nod (⟨nūtus⟩) of the one by whose nod all things are.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Accius, of divine power.^[2] Köbler's first source is Lucilius; he dates Accius 170–c. 90 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

In Lucretius it meant a nod of the head.^[2] From Accius it meant divine power, in Cicero the divine will, and divine nature, godhead, in Ovid a divine presence in a place, and in Virgil a deity, a god.^[2] Döderlein explains that nūmen is any divine being in the wider sense, and in a narrower sense a kind of god or demigod.^[6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant divine power, will or plan, divinity.^[7] British Medieval Latin used it for divine will or sanction.^[8] It was borrowed into Italian nume, and English numen is recorded from the 1620s, and English numinous from the 1640s.^[1][3]

Timeline

• 170–c. 90 BC – Accius uses it of divine power.^[2][5]
• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of a nod.^[2][5]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of a god.^[2][5]
• 1620s – English numen is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. A nod.^[2]
2. Divine power; the divine will.^[2]
3. Divinity, godhead.^[2]
4. A divine presence.^[2]
5. A deity.^[2]

Related words

• nūtō
• nūtus
• English numen
• English numinous

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes it from deus and dīvus.^[6]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ Marcus Terentius Varro, De lingua Latina (text of The Latin Library; book and paragraph numbers as there).
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press