Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A Christian feast celebrating the manifestation of the divine nature of Jesus to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi, traditionally observed on January 6.
  • noun A revelatory manifestation of a divine being.
  • noun A sudden insight or intuitive understanding:

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun An appearance; manifestation of one's presence: used especially with reference to appearances of a deity.
  • noun Among the ancient Greeks, a festival held in commemoration of the appearance of a god in any particular place.
  • noun [capitalized] A Christian festival, closing the series of Christmas observances, celebrated on the 6th of January, the twelfth day after Christmas (hence called Twelfth-day), in commemoration of the manifestations of Christ to the world as the Son of God, in the West especially that to the Gentiles through the visit of the Magi in his infancy.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun An appearance, or a becoming manifest.
  • noun (Eccl.) A church festival celebrated on the 6th of January, the twelfth day after Christmas, in commemoration of the visit of the Magi of the East to Bethlehem, to see and worship the child Jesus; or, as others maintain, to commemorate the appearance of the star to the Magi, symbolizing the manifestation of Christ to the Gentles; Twelfthtide.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A manifestation or appearance of a divine or superhuman being.
  • noun An illuminating realization or discovery, often resulting in a personal feeling of elation, awe, or wonder.
  • noun 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).

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a divine manifestation
  • noun twelve days after Christmas; celebrates the visit of the three wise men to the infant Jesus

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English epiphanie, from Old French, from Late Latin epiphania, from Greek epiphaneia, manifestation, from epiphainesthai, to appear : epi-, forth; see epi– + phainein, phan-, to show; see bhā- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old French epyphanie, from Late Latin epiphania, from Ancient Greek ἐπιφάνεια (epiphaneia, "manifestation, striking appearance"), from ἐπιφαίνω (epiphainō, "I appear, display"), from ἐπί (epi, "upon") + φαίνω (phainō, "I shine, appear"). English Epiphany (of Christ) since the 14th century, generic use since the 17th century.

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  • the adjectival form is epiphanic.

    December 7, 2006

  • The Christian celebration in honor of the revelation of Jesus (God in human form) to man. Also commemorates the visit of the Magi, or Three Wise Men. The twelfth day of Christmas (Twelfth Night).

    January 9, 2007

  • A moment of sudden understanding or revelation

    Citation: Three days ago, I had an epiphany...

    November 20, 2007

  • Effect suffered by protagonists of Joyce's Dubliners. Supposed to help them get over the paralysis inflicted by their dull lives in what Joyce sees as a dull city. Never seems to work.

    December 27, 2007

  • A brilliant theory. Joyce uses the word to link his secular theories of aesthetics to the spiritual significance of the epiphany season. Epiphany: A transcendental force.

    October 27, 2008

  • “Monday was Russian Orthodox Epiphany, and roughly 30,000 Muscovites lined up to dunk themselves in icy rivers and ponds, city officials said. The annual ritual baptism, which is believed to wash away sins, is enjoying a boisterous revival after being banished to villages during the Soviet era.�?

    The New York Times, Russians Strengthen Their Faith and a Tradition With an Icy Water Plunge , by Ellen Barry, January 20, 2009

    January 22, 2009

  • I sincerely hoped they wouldn't kill her. Surviving this experience might be just the epiphany to get her out of prostitution. From "The Last Werewolf" by Glen Duncan.

    February 29, 2012

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    I like n. That's funny.

    January 23, 2014

  • N-Sight (site)? Nidpoint?

    January 24, 2014