epiphany English · revision 2452

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɪˈpɪfəni/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|epiphanie]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) [[bor|fro|epiphanie]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[der|la-lat|epiphania]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[der|grc|ἐπιφάνεια|tr=epipháneia|t=manifestation, striking appearance]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[der|grc|ἐπιφαίνω|tr=epiphaínō|t=to manifest, appear]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[af|grc|ἐπί|φαίνω|tr1=epí|tr2=phaínō|t1=on, forth|t2=to show]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The festival on 6 January commemorating the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles in the persons of the Magi (before 1310).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Greek the word was used for the appearance of a god, and in the New Testament for the coming of Christ.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) In English it was applied to manifestations of other divine beings by the 1660s,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and in 1840 Thomas De Quincey used it for any revelation.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995) From this came the modern sense of a sudden, intuitive insight into the meaning of something.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1310 – the church festival of 6 January.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * before 1667 – the appearance of a divine or superhuman being.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1840 – any manifestation or revelation.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A sudden realization or insight into the essential meaning of something.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An appearance or manifestation, especially of a divine being.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(usually capitalized)'' A Christian feast on 6 January celebrating the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles through the Magi.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[epiphanic]]

+ * [[epiphanous]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[phenomenon]]

+ * [[fantasy]]

+ * [[diaphanous]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}