epiphany

See also: Epiphany

WOTD – 22 March 2008

English

Etymology

From Old French epyphanie, from Late Latin epiphania, from Ancient Greek ἐπιφάνεια (epipháneia, “manifestation, striking appearance”), from ἐπιφαίνω (epiphaínō, “I appear, display”), from ἐπί (epí, “upon”) + φαίνω (phaínō, “I shine, appear”). English Epiphany (of Christ) since the 14th century, generic use since the 17th century.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪˈpɪf.ə.ni/, /ɛˈpɪf.ə.ni/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ɪˈpɪf.ə.ni/, /ɨˈpɪf.ə.ni/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

epiphany (plural epiphanies)

1. A manifestation or appearance of a divine or superhuman being.
2. An illuminating realization or discovery, often resulting in a personal feeling of elation, awe, or wonder.
3. (Christianity) Season or time of the Christian church year from the Epiphany feast day to Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday), the day before Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent (See Epiphany).

Synonyms

• (illuminating realization or discovery): aha moment, enlightenment, nirvana, satori
• (manifestation of a deity): theophany

Translations

manifestation or appearance of a divine or superhuman being

• Bulgarian: богоявление n (bogojavlénie)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 主顯節 (zh), 主显节 (zh) (Zhǔxiǎnjié)

• Czech: zjevení n
• Danish: åbenbaring c
• Dutch: verschijning (nl), openbaring (nl)
• Esperanto: epifanio
• Finnish: ilmestys (fi)
• French: apparition (fr) f
• Galician: epifanía f
• German: Erscheinung (de) f, Offenbarung (de) f, Manifestation f, Epiphanie (de) f

• Greek: επιφάνεια (el) (epifáneia), θεοφάνεια (el) (theofáneia)
• Italian: epifania (it) f, Epifania f
• Japanese: エピファニー (Epifanī), 公現祭 (こうげんさい, Kōgensai)
• Macedonian: богојавление n (bogojavlénie)
• Polish: olśnienie n
• Portuguese: epifania (pt) f, manifestação (pt) f
• Romanian: epifanie n
• Russian: явле́ние (ru) n (javlénije), богоявле́ние (ru) f (bogojavlénije)
• Serbo-Croatian: epifànija (sh) f, bogojávljēnje n
• Spanish: epifanía (es) f, manifestación (es) f
• Venetian: Pifanìa (vec) f, Pefanìa f

illuminating realization or discovery

• Bulgarian: проглеждане n (progleždane), прозрение (bg) n (prozrenie)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 頓悟 (zh), 顿悟 (zh) (dùnwù), 洞察 (zh) (dòngchá), 領悟 (zh), 领悟 (zh) (lǐngwù)

• Danish: åbenbaring c
• Dutch: epifanie (nl), ingeving (nl) n
• Finnish: ahaa-elämys, valaistus (fi)
• French: illumination (fr), révélation (fr) f
• German: Erleuchtung f, Heureka-Moment m, Aha-Erlebnis (de) n

• Hebrew: הֶאָרָה‏‎ (he) f (heará)
• Japanese: 洞察 (ja) (どうさつ, dōsatsu)
• Macedonian: прогледување n (progledúvanje)
• Portuguese: epifania (pt) f
• Romanian: epifanie n
• Russian: прозре́ние (ru) n (prozrénije), озаре́ние (ru) n (ozarénije)
• Serbo-Croatian: epifànija (sh) f

(Christianity) time of the Christian church year

See also

• Advent
• Christmas
• eureka
• Twelve Days of Christmas