epiphany

See also: Epiphany

English[edit]

WOTD – 22 March 2008

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.

epiphany (plural epiphanies)

An illuminating realization or discovery, often resulting in a personal feeling of elation, awe, or wonder.
Synonyms: aha moment, enlightenment, nirvana, satori

It came to her in an epiphany what her life's work was to be.
- 1989, Greil Marcus, Lipstick Traces, Faber & Faber, published 2009:
  Instead of examining institutions and classes, structures of economic production and social control, one had to think about “moments”—moments of love, hate, poetry, frustration, action, surrender, delight, humiliation, justice, cruelty, resignation, surprise, disgust, resentment, self-loathing, pity, fury, peace of mind—those tiny epiphanies, Lefebvre said, in which the absolute possibilities and temporal limits of anyone's existence were revealed.
- 2013, Chris Hadfield, chapter 11, in An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth, Pan Macmillan, →ISBN:
  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.
A manifestation or appearance of a divine or superhuman being.
Synonym: theophany
(Christianity) Alternative letter-case form of Epiphany.

illuminating realization or discovery

manifestation or appearance of a divine or superhuman being

Epiphany — see Epiphany