epiphany
pronunciation
How to pronounce epiphany in British English:
UK [ɪˈpɪfəni]
How to pronounce epiphany in American English:
US [ɪˈpɪfəni]
-
- Noun:
- a divine manifestation
Word Origin
- epiphany (n.)
- early 14c., "festival of the manifestation of Christ to the gentiles" (celebrated Jan. 6; usually with a capital -E-), from Old French epiphanie, from Late Latin epiphania, neuter plural (taken as feminine singular), from late Greek epiphaneia "manifestation, striking appearance, festival held in commemoration of the appearance of a god at some particular place" (in New Testament, "advent or manifestation of Christ"), from epiphanes "manifest, conspicuous," from epiphainein "to manifest, display, show off; come suddenly into view," from epi "on, to" (see epi-) + phainein "to show" (see phantasm). Of divine beings other than Christ, first recorded 1660s; general literary sense of "any manifestation or revelation" appeared 1840, first in De Quincey.
Example
- 1. I had an epiphany while sitting in the pew that day .
- 2. It was in chiapas that maffi had a kind of epiphany .
- 3. It begins with a description of what , for eggleston , was a photographic epiphany .
- 4. Of course , not every creative challenge requires an epiphany ; a relaxing shower won 't solve every problem .
- 5. What is perhaps more fascinating than a naked scientist 's bathtub epiphany is how innovators commonly come from disciplines other than those they revolutionize .