noumenon

C2+ Topic:General Vocabulary

US /ˈnuməˌnɑn/ UK /ˈnuːmɪnən/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a thing as it is in itself, independent of perception (Kantian)

For Kant the noumenon lies forever beyond our experience.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a thing as it is in itself,... thing-in-itselfding-an-sichessence

Opposites

phenomenon appearance

Word family

Derived forms noumenal

Related forms nous phenomenon

Etymology

From Ancient Greek nooumenon ('that which is thought'), neuter present passive participle of noein ('to think, perceive'), from nous ('mind'). Adopted into philosophy notably by Kant.

νοούμενον Ancient Greek νοῦς Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

General Vocabulary

External links

# noumenon

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈnuməˌnɑn/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈnuːmɪnən/

## Meanings
1. a thing as it is in itself, independent of perception (Kantian)

## Examples
- For Kant the noumenon lies forever beyond our experience.

## Synonyms
- thing-in-itself
- ding-an-sich
- essence

## Antonyms
- phenomenon
- appearance

## Derived Forms
- noumenal

## Related Forms
- nous
- phenomenon

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: νοούμενον
- Root: νοῦς

## Etymology
From Ancient Greek nooumenon ('that which is thought'), neuter present passive participle of noein ('to think, perceive'), from nous ('mind'). Adopted into philosophy notably by Kant.

## AI Etymology
Noumenon is from Ancient Greek nooumenon ('that which is thought'), neuter present passive participle of noein ('to think, perceive'), from nous ('mind'). Adopted into philosophy notably by Kant. Important recorded forms include νοούμενον (Ancient Greek) and νοῦς (Ancient Greek). The modern sense follows that older lexical line closely. In current use it covers a thing as it is in itself, independent of perception (Kantian). The wider family includes derived forms such as noumenal and related words such as nous and phenomenon.

## Topics
- General Vocabulary

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