noumenon
[ noo-muh-non ]
/ ˈnu məˌnɒn /
noun, plural nou·me·na [noo-muh-nuh] /ˈnu mə nə/.
the object, itself inaccessible to experience, to which a phenomenon is referred for the basis or cause of its sense content.
a thing in itself, as distinguished from a phenomenon or thing as it appears.
Kantianism.
something that can be the object only of a purely intellectual, nonsensuous intuition.
Origin of noumenon
1790–1800; < Greek
nooúmenon a thing being perceived, noun use of neuter of present participle passive of
noeîn to perceive; akin to
nous
Words nearby noumenon
nought,
noughties,
noughts and crosses,
noughts-and-crosses,
noumenal,
noumenon,
nouméa,
noun,
noun adjunct,
noun clause,
noun incorporation
Example sentences from the Web for noumenon
British Dictionary definitions for noumenon
noumenon
/ (ˈnuːmɪnən, ˈnaʊ-) /
noun plural -na (-nə)
(in the philosophy of Kant) a thing as it is in itself, not perceived or interpreted, incapable of being known, but only inferred from the nature of experience
Compare phenomenon (def. 3) See also thing-in-itself
the object of a purely intellectual intuition
Derived forms of noumenon
Word Origin for noumenon
C18: via German from Greek: thing being thought of, from
noein to think, perceive; related to
nous mind