English vocabulary · C1
Sublime
/səˈblaɪm/ · adj.
It means so beautiful or so powerful that it fills you with awe — a feeling bigger than any normal word.
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Example sentences
- The view from the mountain was truly sublime.
- Her voice was sublime — it stopped everyone in the room.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- sub — up to (from Latin)
- limen — threshold (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- MAGNIFICENT — very large and impressive (Grand & Impressive)
- BREATHTAKING — so beautiful it shocks you (Stops You in Your Tracks)
- MAJESTIC — grand and full of power (Noble & Powerful)
Words with the same root
limen — threshold
- liminal — at the edge between two states
- subliminal — below the level you notice
Lesson notes
Sublime. It means so beautiful or so powerful that it fills you with awe — a feeling bigger than any normal word.
Similar words are magnificent, breathtaking, and majestic. Use sublime when beauty is so great it almost hurts.
The view from the mountain was truly sublime. Her voice was sublime — it stopped everyone in the room.
From Latin. sub- means up to. Limen- means threshold. Rising up to the threshold of what you can feel — that is sublime.