Today's Word "Epiphany"
Published in Vocabulary
epiphany \i-PIF-eh-nee\ (noun) - 1 : A sudden, intuitive yet profound grasp on the nature of reality usually brought to light by a simple event in one's life. 2 : The Roman Catholic commemoration (January 6) of the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles. In the Othodox Church, the commemoration of the baptism of Christ.
"Chris suddenly had an epiphany where the light pierced the veil of individuality and he comprehended, very briefly and evanescently, how everything in the universe held together."
The Middle English word "epiphanie" comes via Old French from Late Latin "epiphania," based on Greek epiphaneia "manifestation, show." The Greek word comprises epi- "on, forth" + phan-, "to show." The root of phan- also appears in Greek phantasma "object manifested," phantasia "imagination" (the power to manifest an object), and, oddly enough at first glance, sycophant "toady, yes-man", from Greek syko-phantes "false accuser," literally "fig-displayer"fig, the vulgar hand-signal, that is. For a bit more PIE, see "How Is A Hippo Like A Feather?" in YDC's library.
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