numineux

\ny.mi.nø\

/\ny.mi.nø\/ noun

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency French
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Phénomène mystérieux qui donne un sentiment d'être relatif au divin.

Corpus desk

Index FR-numineux · numineux · French

numineux · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "N" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

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 numineux
PropertyValue
Headwordnumineux
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\ny.mi.nø\
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Longue queue: rang de « numineux » en français

numineuxn'entre pas dans le top 100.000 du français: zone de termes techniques, archaïques ou rares.

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

Rare enough to double-check

numineux is uncommon French outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed \ny.mi.nø\. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Phénomène mystérieux qui donne un sentiment d'être relatif au divin.".

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for numineux, a sign its spelling follows regular French conventions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct French form is numineux, spelled N-U-M-I-N-E-U-X.

Definition

  1. 1
    Phénomène mystérieux qui donne un sentiment d'être relatif au divin.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Quand on contemple quelque chose de mystérieux et qu'on lui enlève toute considération éthique et rationnelle, on est en présence, selon Otto, de ce qui est proprement religieux, sacré, à savoir ce qu'il baptise le « numineux ».
  2. Quand il prend fait et cause pour le numineux, Jung éveille en nous un sentiment primitif de panique et cette ambivalence que nous ressentons vis-à-vis de ce qui nous dépasse.

This word in other languages

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 "numineux"?
"numineux" is spelled N-U-M-I-N-E-U-X. The IPA pronunciation is \ny.mi.nø\.
What does "numineux" mean?
As a noun, "numineux" means: Phénomène mystérieux qui donne un sentiment d'être relatif au divin.
How do you pronounce "numineux"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "numineux" is \ny.mi.nø\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "numineux" come from?
"numineux" is a French word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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