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.”

During a rite's liminal stage, participants "stand at the threshold" [3] between their previous way of structuring their identity, time, or community, and a new way (which completing the rite establishes).

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.

Somewhere between sanctioned and unsanctioned brutality, there is a liminal kind, officially condemned but operating in the service of sanctioned power.

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

liminal is a borrowing from Latin, combined with an English element; originally modelled on a German lexical item. Etymons: Latin līmin-, līmen, ‑al suffix1.

Definition of 'liminal' liminal in American English (ˈlɪmɪnəl , ˈlaɪmɪnəl ) adjective 1. physiology and psychology

Jun 5, 2025 · liminal (comparative more liminal, superlative most liminal) [W]ith the utmost strictness, we excommunicate digamists, as bringing infamy upon the Paraclete by the irregularity of their discipline.

Sep 21, 2025 · The word “liminal” derives from the Latin word “limen,” meaning “threshold.” This term has been used to describe experiences, spaces, and conditions that exist in transitional states or …

6 days ago · A state of being on the edge or margins of society, applied archaeologically in three interrelated ways. Physical liminality may be seen in terms of a place or activity being detached from …