NYT Dictionary

LIMINAL

/ˈlɪmən(ə)l/
AdjectiveLI-min-alli-min-al · 3 syllablesCollege

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2019, 2020, 2024, 2025, 2026

Meaning

Of or pertaining to an entrance or threshold.

Etymology

Origin: Latin

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)).

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

thresholdlikeinceptiveinchoativemarginalborderingborderlineboundarycoastaldeterminantdeterminative

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 6 recorded puzzles:

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