apparition

[ ap-uh-rish-uhn ]

noun

1. a supernatural appearance of a person or thing, especially a ghost; a specter or phantom; wraith:

   a ghostly apparition at midnight.

   Synonyms: shade, spirit

2. anything that appears, especially something remarkable or startling:

   the surprising apparition of cowboys in New York City.

3. an act of appearing; manifestation.
4. Astronomy. the appearance or time when a comet, especially a periodic one, is visible:

   the 1986 apparition of Halley's comet.

apparition

/ ˌæpəˈrɪʃən /

noun

1. an appearance, esp of a ghost or ghostlike figure
2. the figure so appearing; phantom; spectre
3. the act of appearing or being visible

Other Words From

• appa·rition·al adjective
• nonap·pa·rition·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of apparition¹

1400–50; late Middle English apparicio ( u ) n < Anglo-French, Old French < Late Latin appāritiōn- (stem of appāritiō, as calque of Greek epipháneia epiphany ), equivalent to Latin appārit ( us ) (past participle of appārēre; appear ) + -iōn- -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of apparition¹

C15: from Late Latin appāritiō, from Latin: attendance, from appārēre to appear

Synonym Study

Apparition, phantasm, phantom are terms for a supernatural appearance. An apparition of a person or thing is an immaterial appearance that seems real, and is generally sudden or startling in its manifestation: an apparition of a headless horseman. Both phantom and phantasm denote an illusory appearance, as in a dream; the former may be pleasant, while the latter is usually frightening: a phantom of loveliness; a monstrous phantasm.

Example Sentences

The Roman Catholic Church has long been vigilant when it comes to supernatural apparitions like professed sightings of the Virgin Mary, weeping Madonnas or bleeding crucifixes.

From New York Times

That has been the case for the purported apparitions of Mary that turned Fatima, Portugal and Lourdes, France into enormously popular pilgrimage destinations.

From Seattle Times

Meanwhile, the Japanese edition of Newsweek had a cover drawing of Trump as a bloody, frightening apparition, calling to mind either villain or vampire.

From Los Angeles Times

To do so, he elicits help from fellow students, but their presentation is derailed by unlikely apparitions: a conquistador, a small child, Laura Linney.

From New York Times

The Iron Monkey metalworkers are known for the multistory apparitions they conjure every year, haul to Burning Man and set on fire.

From Seattle Times