numinous

The word 'numinous' is a modern scholarly creation, coined in the early 20th century by German theologian Rudolf Otto from the Latin root numen. Numen itself derives from the Proto-Indo-European root neu-, meaning "to nod," which evolved in Latin to signify a divine command or assent expressed through a nod. Otto abstracted this concrete gesture into a term for the awe-inspiring, wholly other presence of the divine. Thus, 'numinous' carries the literal sense of "characterized by a divine presence," capturing the profound and mysterious spiritual force that evokes both fascination and dread.

Structure: numin (spirit, divine will) + ous (adjective suffix) - numin: From Latin numen, meaning "divine will, divine power, a nod (as an expression of will)". Its origin is the verb nuere, "to nod". - ous: A suffix of Latin origin (-osus) used to form adjectives meaning "full of, characterized by, possessing the qualities of".