numen

/ˈnjuː.mən/

//ˈnjuː.mən// noun

"numen" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“numen” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
5
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A divinity, especially a local or presiding god.

Corpus desk

Index EN-numen · numen · English

numen · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "N" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for numen
PropertyValue
Headwordnumen
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈnjuː.mən/
Letters5
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “numen” in English

numenranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

numen is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈnjuː.mən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for numen in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin nūmen. The correct English form is numen, spelled N-U-M-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A divinity, especially a local or presiding god.
  2. 2
    An influence or phenomenon at once mystical and transcendent.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how numen appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The Egyptians were doubtless the most singular of all the Pagans, and the most oddly discrepant from the rest in their manner of worship; yet nevertheless, that these also agreed with the rest in those fundamentals of worshipping one supreme and universal Numen […]
  2. Where were Secretaries James and Foster and Senator Joseph, those dear daft numina who’d mothered over Oedipa’s so temperate youth?

Etymology

From Latin nūmen.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "numen"?
"numen" is spelled N-U-M-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈnjuː.mən/.
What does "numen" mean?
As a noun, "numen" means: A divinity, especially a local or presiding god.
How do you pronounce "numen"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "numen" is /ˈnjuː.mən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "numen"?
From Latin nūmen. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list