numen
Sacred animating presence
Numen is a divine power or spirit believed to inhabit a place, object, or phenomenon.
The term comes from Roman religion, where a numen was the presiding force of a sacred site or natural feature—a grove, spring, or mountain might possess its own numen.
The word survives in English for discussing animistic belief or describing an ineffable spiritual presence: The ancient temple still held a palpable numen.
The adjective is numinous.
Sacred nature or nougat-like sweet
- godheadEssential nature of deity
- godhoodStatus as a deity
- demigodPartly divine being
- demiurgeDivine cosmic craftsman
pantheon · immortal · kami · genius loci · tutelary · guardian spirit · patron deity · household god
Quality of being inviolable
- holinessSacred spiritual purity
- sacrednessQuality of being holy
- consecrationDedicating to sacred purpose
- reverenceProfound admiring respect
veneration · piety · devotion · blessedness · hallowed · taboo · sacrosanct · holy presence
Accessible to few
- arcaneUnderstood by few
- occultConcealed from view
- mysteriousBeyond easy comprehension
- ineffableBeyond verbal expression
transcendent · otherworldly · supernatural · uncanny · sublime · awe · mysterium · hieratic
Inner personality essence
- soulInnermost animating essence
- essenceFundamental nature of something
- pneumaGreek vital spirit
- atmanEternal inner self
ba · animating spirit · genius · daemon · ethereal · incorporeal
Degree of strength
- forceStrength or compulsion
- energyPower to do work
- vitalityCapacity for spirited existence
- dynamismActive, energetic quality
mana · qi · prana · life force · spiritual energy · divine will · efficacy
Perceived emanation surrounding someone
- emanationSomething that flows out
- atmosphereGaseous layer around planets
- ambiencePervading mood of place
- ineffableBeyond verbal expression
immanence · indwelling · permeation · manifestation · theophany · apparition · visitation · luminosity
divinity
Sacred nature or nougat-like sweet
demiurge · pantheon · immortal · kami · genius loci · tutelary · guardian spirit · patron deity · household god · ancestral spirit
sanctity
Quality of being inviolable
- holinessSacred spiritual purity
- sacrednessQuality of being holy
- consecrationDedicating to sacred purpose
reverence · veneration · piety · devotion · blessedness · hallowed · taboo · sacrosanct · holy presence · sacred space
esoteric
Accessible to few
- arcaneUnderstood by few
- occultConcealed from view
- mysteriousBeyond easy comprehension
ineffable · transcendent · otherworldly · supernatural · uncanny · sublime · awe · mysterium · hieratic · theurgy
anima
Inner personality essence
atman · ba · animating spirit · genius · daemon · ethereal · incorporeal
potency
Degree of strength
dynamism · mana · qi · prana · life force · spiritual energy · divine will · efficacy
aura
Perceived emanation surrounding someone
- emanationSomething that flows out
- atmosphereGaseous layer around planets
- ambiencePervading mood of place
ineffable · immanence · indwelling · permeation · manifestation · theophany · apparition · visitation · luminosity · radiance
- spiritghost, specter, phantom, apparition, soul
- divinitydeity, godhood, divine, godhead, holiness
- Guardian Deitiesguardian angel, protective spirit, household gods, household god, Lares
- sacred aweawe, holiness, sacredness, sanctity, reverence
- metaphysicsessence, being, reality, existence, substance theory
- household spiritsbrownie, house spirit, household god, kobold, penates
numenvoid
Without legal effect
absence · emptiness · godlessness · soullessness · vacuum
numenprofanity
Vulgar or obscene speech
mundanity · worldliness · materiality · desecration · secularity
numendevil
Evil supernatural entity
demon · evil presence · evil spirit · unholy presence · corruption