noumenal

N1O1U1M3E1N1A1L1

adjective

Of or pertaining to the noumenon or the realm of things as they are in themselves.

Opposite
phenomenal
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Meanings

adjectivenoumenal (not comparable)
  1. especiallynot comparableKantianismOf or pertaining to the noumenon or the realm of things as they are in themselves.

    We may here distinguish between two kinds of reality, phenomenal or relative, and noumenal or absolute.

    1878, James Sully, “The Question of Visual Perception in Germany”, in Mind, volume 3, number 10, page 193
    2 more examples

    Nor can the elements of the phenomenal world derive any complexity from the interaction of the noumenal elements which they represent with the complex structure of the precipients.

    1880, Frederick W. Frankland, “On the Doctrine of Mind-Stuff”, in Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute, page 214

    When Kant says that it is impossible to know anything about, or apply any categories to, the noumenal realm, he would seem to be doing just what cannot be done.

    2003, Jay Garfield, Graham Priest, “Nāgārjuna and the Limits of Thought”, in Philosophy East and West, volume 53, number 1, page 3

    Antonyms: phenomenal

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveOf or pertaining to the noumenon or the realm of things as they are in themselves.

Opposite
phenomenal
Also see
potential

Origin

Equivalent to noumen(on) + -al.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

French nouménal
  • nouménalof or pertaining to the noumenon
German noumenisch
  • noumenischof or pertaining to the noumenon
Greek νοουμενικός
  • νοουμενικός (nooumenikós)of or pertaining to the noumenon
Italian noumenico
  • noumenicoof or pertaining to the noumenon
Polish noumenalny
  • noumenalnyof or pertaining to the noumenon
Portuguese numênico, numénico
  • numênicoof or pertaining to the noumenon
  • numénicoof or pertaining to the noumenon
Russian ноумена́льный
  • ноумена́льный (noumenálʹnyj)of or pertaining to the noumenon
Spanish nouménico
  • nouménicoof or pertaining to the noumenon
Ukrainian ноумена́льний
  • ноумена́льний (noumenálʹnyj)of or pertaining to the noumenon
Cite this entry
APA

noumenal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/noumenal

MLA

“noumenal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/noumenal. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “noumenal,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/noumenal.

Source: noumenal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.