Random Word Definition: Liminal

From Merriam Webster's Dictionary:

lim·i·nal \'li-mə-nəl\ adj [L limin-, limen threshold] (1884)
1 : of or relating to a sensory threshold
2 : barely perceptible
3 : of, relating to, or being an intermediate state, phase, or condition : in-between transitional ‹in the liminal state between life and death —Deborah Jowitt›

A related word:

sub·lim·i·nal \(")sə-'bli-mə-nəl\ adj [sub- + L limin-, limen threshold] (1886)
1 : inadequate to produce a sensation or a perception
2 : existing or functioning below the threshold of consciousness ‹the subliminal mind› ‹subliminal advertising›
— sub·lim·i·nal·ly adv


I think that "liminal" is an underused word. There's a theory that says: if a language doesn't have a word for a concept, the speakers of the language are less likely to think about or discuss that concept. Considering how many "on the threshold" moments there are in life besides the "big ones" like birth, death, marriage, etc, I don't think that enough attention is given to these moments. In part this is probably because change itself is typically under-appreciated (often feared or dismissed as uninteresting). I am in a liminal state in several respects, and it's odd how just thinking about this new word I've learned has caused me to savor these moments moments rather than blindly passing them by.

I really like this word.