NUMEN: a spiritual force or influence often identified with a natural object, phenomenon, or place
How did numen, a Latin term meaning "nod of the head," come to be associated with spiritual power? The answer lies in the fact that the ancient Romans saw divine force and power operating in inanimate objects and nonhuman phenomena around them. They believed that the gods had the power to command events and to consent to actions, and the nodding of a god would suggest his or her awesome abilities - divine power. Eventually, Latin-speakers began using numen to describe the special divine force of any object, place, or phenomenon that inspired awe and the word made a leap in meaning from "nod" to "divine will or power." English-speakers adopted the word during the 1600s.
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