Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

liminal

/ˈlɪmən(ə)l/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 2.24 in modern English

Syllables
li-min-al
IPA
/ˈlɪmən(ə)l/
9
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
3
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Of or pertaining to an entrance or threshold.

adj

Pertaining to or in a state that is in-between or transitional between two (or more) other states, while belonging to neither; pertaining to or in a state such as to be neither definitively in a particular other state or category nor definitively outside it.

adj

Of or pertaining to a beginning or first stage of a process.

adj

Of an empty environment that evokes a surreal blend of nostalgia, comfort, and unease; see liminal space.

Informal

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Latin līmināris, from līmen (“doorstep, threshold; doorway, entrance; beginning, commencement”) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship from nouns). Līmen is possibly derived from līmus (“askew; sideways”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *Heh₃l- (“to bend, bow; elbow”)) + -men (suffix forming neuter nouns of the third declension) (from Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ (suffix forming action nouns or result nouns from verbs)).

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: līmināris, *Heh₃l-, *-mn̥

Usage

Inflected Forms

more liminal (comparative) most liminal (superlative)

Derived Forms

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Questions

How do you pronounce liminal?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈlɪmən(ə)l/.
What does liminal mean?
Of or pertaining to an entrance or threshold.
Where does liminal come from?
It is traced to Latin.

How to pronounce liminal

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “liminal”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈlɪmən(ə)l/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “liminal”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “liminal” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.