epiphany
nounattested in dialogue
- United States//ɪˈpɪfəni//
- United States//ɪˈpɪfni//
- United States//ɛˈpɪfəni//
An illuminating realization or discovery, often resulting in a personal feeling of elation, awe, or wonder.
noun
- 1
An illuminating realization or discovery, often resulting in a personal feeling of elation, awe, or wonder.
It came to her in an epiphany what her life's work was to be.
But after spending most of my pocket money to get those developed, I had an epiphany: I was never going to be a professional photographer. My pictures were god-awful. I put the camera away.
Between the gaps, I was swimming laps / Got close to some epiphany / I'll convince a friend to join deep ends / Have your toes touch the lack of cement
The logic of the standard biography—a formative event leads to an epiphany that creates the great man—doesn’t quite work when the greatness doesn’t have much to do with the man at all.
- 2
A manifestation or appearance of a divine or superhuman being.
The ithyphallic bird-man is the climactic, ecstatic, instantaneous male principle confronting the enormous, slow, bovine, and enduring principle of the eternal feminine in her epiphany as the bison.
- 3
Variant of EpiphanyAlternative letter-case form of Epiphany.
Etymology
From Middle English epiphanie, from Old French epyphanie, from Late Latin epiphania, from Ancient Greek ἐπιφάνεια (epipháneia, “manifestation, striking appearance”), from ἐπιφαίνω (epiphaínō, “I appear, display”), from ἐπι- (epi-, “upon”) + φαίνω (phaínō, “I shine, appear”). English Epiphany (of Christ) since the 14th century, generic use since the 17th century.
Forms
- plural
- epiphanies
epiphany · An illuminating realization or discovery, often resulting in a personal feeling of elation, awe, or wonder.
Epiphany · A manifestation of the divinity of Jesus Christ, especially…episode · A discrete but connected event, situation, or period within a…equal · The same in one or more respects.