epiphany

[ ih-pif-uh-nee ]

noun

, plural e·piph·a·nies.

1. (initial capital letter) a Christian festival, observed on January 6, commemorating the manifestation of Christ to the gentiles in the persons of the Magi; Twelfth-day.
2. an appearance or manifestation, especially of a deity.
3. a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.
4. a literary work or section of a work presenting, usually symbolically, such a moment of revelation and insight.

epiphany

¹

/ ˌɛpɪˈfænɪk; ɪˈpɪfənɪ /

noun

1. the manifestation of a supernatural or divine reality
2. any moment of great or sudden revelation

Epiphany

²

/ ɪˈpɪfənɪ /

noun

1. a Christian festival held on Jan 6, commemorating, in the Western Church, the manifestation of Christ to the Magi and, in the Eastern Church, the baptism of Christ

Epiphany

1. A festival in Christianity celebrating the visit of the Wise Men to the infant Jesus . Epiphany means “a showing forth” — in this case a showing forth of Jesus to the Gentiles .

Derived Forms

• epiphanic, adjective

Other Words From

• ep·i·phan·ic [ep-, uh, -, fan, -ik], e·pipha·nous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of epiphany¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English epiphanie, from Late Latin epiphanīa, from Late Greek epipháneia, from Greek: “apparition,” equivalent to epi- epi- ( def ) + phan- (stem of phaínein “to appear”) + -eia -y ³( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of epiphany¹

C17: via Church Latin from Greek epiphaneia an appearing, from epi- + phainein to show

Example Sentences

Putin is often pictured at church, dunking himself in ice water to celebrate the Epiphany and visiting holy sites in Russia.

From Seattle Times

The Russian city of Belgorod, also near the Ukrainian border, canceled its traditional Orthodox Epiphany festivities on Friday due to the threat of Ukrainian drone strikes.

From Seattle Times

Last week, a catholic priest at a West Side parish cited Flacco’s unforeseen arrival while giving his sermon during a Mass to celebrate the Epiphany.

From Seattle Times

Earlier, members of Istanbul’s tiny Greek Orthodox community and visitors from neighboring Greece attended an Epiphany service led by Bartholomew I at the Patriarchal Church of St George in Istanbul’s Fener district.

From Seattle Times

The holiday is also called the Feast of Epiphany, Three Kings Day and Theophany.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• flash
• insight
• inspiration
• realization
• vision