Liminal is a word for the in-between. It describes states, times, spaces, etc., that exist at a point of change—a metaphorical threshold—as in “the liminal zone between sleep and wakefulness.”

LIMINAL definition: of, relating to, or situated at the limen, the threshold at which a stimulus begins to produce an effect. See examples of liminal used in a sentence.

A range of discursive strategies place the characters in gossip-stories (even in the category called "self-gossip") in marginalized, liminal, or uncertain social spaces.

Liminal is an English adjective meaning "on the threshold", from Latin līmen, plural limina. Liminal or Liminality may refer to:

2 days ago · Word of the Day: In a post-pandemic world marked by rapid change, many people experience life as a series of unresolved transitions, career shifts, identity questions, and …

Definition of liminal adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Jan 13, 2026 · To be in a liminal space means to be on the precipice of something new but not quite there yet. The word "liminal" comes from the Latin word “limen,” which means threshold.

Dec 15, 2016 · liminal in American English (ˈlɪmɪnəl , ˈlaɪmɪnəl ) adjective 1. physiology and psychology

Jun 5, 2025 · Adjective liminal (comparative more liminal, superlative most liminal) Of or pertaining to an entrance or threshold. [from late 19th c.] Synonym: thresholdlike

What is the etymology of the adjective liminal? liminal is a borrowing from Latin, combined with an English element; originally modelled on a German lexical item.