epiphany
- (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.
- an appearance or manifestation, especially of a deity.
- 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.
- a literary work or section of a work presenting, usually symbolically, such a moment of revelation and insight.
Origin of epiphany
Examples from the Web for epiphany
Contemporary Examples
Zaks experienced an epiphany of sorts a couple years ago, when he was looking through a book of Tony Walton illustrations.
While watching The Ten Commandments on TV with their children for the umpteenth time, Burnett and Downey had an epiphany.
This was an epiphany, this was imprinted on you, you could do anything now.
The teenager went to rehab, and then went right back to using—until he had an epiphany.
That was the epiphany I had Sunday night during a 10-hour stay at a roadside hotel.
Historical Examples
The rest will to Dax when the prince starts, which will be before the feast of the Epiphany.
The White CompanyArthur Conan Doyle
We witnessed a very gorgeous procession on the feast of the Epiphany.
Sketches of Our Life at SarawakHarriette McDougall
Well, this year, at Epiphany, it had been snowing for a week.
Original Short Stories, Volume 5 (of 13)Guy de Maupassant
I should say I did remember that Epiphany supper during the war!
Maupassant Original Short Stories (180), CompleteGuy de Maupassant
The Collect for the first Sunday after Epiphany is wonderful.
Life of John Coleridge PattesonCharlotte M. Yonge
epiphany
- the manifestation of a supernatural or divine reality
- any moment of great or sudden revelation
Word Origin
Epiphany
- 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
Word Origin and History for epiphany
n.
early 14c., "festival of the manifestation of Christ to the gentiles" (celebrated Jan. 6; usually with a capital -E-), from Old French epiphanie, from Late Latin epiphania, neuter plural (taken as feminine singular), from late Greek epiphaneia "manifestation, striking appearance" (in New Testament, "advent or manifestation of Christ"), from epiphanes "manifest, conspicuous," from epiphainein "to manifest, display," from epi "on, to" (see epi-) + phainein "to show" (see phantasm).
Of divine beings other than Christ, first recorded 1660s; general literary sense of "any manifestation or revelation" appeared 1840, first in De Quincey.
Epiphany
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.