A divine power or spirit believed to inhabit a place or object. The ancient Romans believed that every home had its own numen that protected the family.
A guiding or presiding spirit or deity. The artist felt a numen guiding her hand as she painted the masterpiece.
In ancient Roman religion, the divine presence or will of a god, often conceived as the power that brings about events. The historian argued that the numen of Mars was invoked before every military campaign.