epiphany
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epiphany¹
- /ɪˈpɪfəni/ US, UK
- /ɪˈpɪfni/ US, UK
- /ɛˈpɪfəni/ US, UK
Where it comes from
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.
noun epiphanies
-
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.
Similar: aha moment, enlightenment, eureka moment, nirvana, satori
-
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.
Similar: theophany
- Alternative letter-case form of Epiphany
Epiphany²
- /ɪˈpɪfəni/ US, UK
- /ɪˈpɪfni/ US, UK
- /ɛˈpɪfəni/ US, UK
Where it comes from
PIE word
*h₁epi
See epiphany.
noun Epiphanies
- A manifestation of the divinity of Jesus Christ, especially to the Magi (Matthew 2:1–12), but also at his baptism and the Wedding at Cana. That was also the reason why the Feast of the Epiphany, commemorating the three epiphanies of Christ's divinity, His Baptism, the Miracle of Cana, and the Visit of the Magi, was one of the most favorite feasts in the Eastern Church[…]
-
An annual Christian feast celebrating these events, usually on January 6, the twelfth day after Christmas.
On the Festival of the Epiphany, and on the six Sundays called after its name, we have distinct pictures held up to our view connected with the life of Jesus of Nazareth[…]
Similar: Three Kings' Day, Twelfth Day, Twelfthtide, Twelvetide, Theophany
- The day of the celebration, January 6, or sometimes (in Western Christianity), the Sunday between January 2 and 8.
- The season or time of the Christian church year, either from the Epiphany feast day to Shrove Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent), or from the Epiphany feast day to the feast of Candlemas (marking the presentation of Jesus Christ in the Temple in Jerusalem).
- an experience of sudden and striking insight
proper noun
- A female given name.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: twelfth day, enlightenment, revelation, breakthrough, disclosure, exposure, eye-opener, awakening, confession, rebirth, revival, illumination, renaissance, joycean, sleepiphany, eureka moment
Translations
Every language
noun illuminating realization or discovery
| 日本語 | 洞察 dōsatsu |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 頓悟 /顿悟 dùnwù, 洞察 dòngchá, 領悟 /领悟 lǐngwù |
| Português | epifania |
| Français | illumination, révélation, déclic |
| Deutsch | Erleuchtung, Heureka-Moment, Aha-Erlebnis |
| Italiano | rivelazione |
| Română | epifanie |
| Русский | прозре́ние prozrénije, озаре́ние ozarénije |
| العربية | تَجَلٍّ tajallin |
| עברית | הֶאָרָה heará |
noun manifestation or appearance of a divine or superhuman being
| Español | epifanía, manifestación |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | エピファニー Epifanī |
| 中文 | 顯示 /显示 xiǎnshì |
| Português | epifania, manifestação |
| Français | apparition |
| Deutsch | Erscheinung, Offenbarung, Manifestation, Epiphanie |
| Italiano | epifania, Epifania, ierofania, apparizione, befana |
| Ελληνικά | επιφάνεια epifáneia, θεοφάνεια theofáneia |
| Română | epifanie |
| Русский | явле́ние javlénije, богоявле́ние bogojavlénije |
| العربية | تَجَلٍّ tajallin |
name appearance of Jesus Christ to the Magi
| Deutsch | Erscheinung des Herrn, Epiphanie |
|---|
name annual Christian feast celebrating this event
| Español | Epifanía |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | エピファニー Epifanī, 公現祭 Kōgensai |
| 中文 | 主顯節 /主显节 Zhǔxiǎnjié |
| Português | Epifania |
| Français | Épiphanie, fête des Rois |
| Deutsch | Dreikönigsfest, Erscheinung des Herrn, Heilige Drei Könige |
| Italiano | Epifania, Befana |
| Ελληνικά | Θεοφάνεια Theofáneia, Θεοφάνια Theofánia, Φώτα Fóta |
| Română | Bobotează |
| Русский | Богоявле́ние Bogojavlénije, Явле́ние Javlénije, Эпифа́ния Epifánija |
| Tiếng Việt | Lễ Hiển Linh |
| العربية | الْغِطَاس al-ḡiṭās, عِيد اَلْغِطَاس ʕīd al-ḡiṭās |
name day of the celebration
| Español | Día de Reyes |
|---|---|
| Français | Jour des rois |
| Deutsch | Dreikönigstag |
Talk about this word "epiphany." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/epiphany. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. epiphany. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/epiphany "epiphany." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/epiphany.Cite this
@misc{epiphany_2026,
title = {epiphany},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/epiphany},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
