phenomena

American  

[fi-nom-uh-nuh] / fɪˈnɒm ə nə /

noun

1. a plural of phenomenon.

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phenomena British  

/ fɪˈnɒmɪnə /

noun

1. a plural of phenomenon

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Usage

As with other plurals of Latin or Greek origin, like media and criteria, there is a tendency to use the plural phenomena as a singular ( This phenomena will not be seen again ), but such use occurs infrequently in edited writing. The plural form phenomenas, though occasionally seen, has even less currency.

Etymology

Origin of phenomena

First recorded in 1580–90 with spelling phænomena

Example Sentences

But what are consistently intriguing are the methods of detection—ever-evolving and ever-revealing—focused on historical phenomena.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

Hardly anything is overdone here and, in one essential way, Enyedi is also making the case for movies themselves as phenomena to protect and treasure: ecosystems of light, texture, wonder and nourishment.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

Buzz Aldrin, famed astronaut from the Apollo 11 mission, said in a 1969 interview published on Friday that he saw several inexplicable phenomena on his trip to the Moon.

From BBC • May 8, 2026

Thanks to its infrared vision, the telescope will be able to observe light emitted by celestial bodies billions of years ago, effectively looking back in time to hopefully discover more about the two phenomena.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

He knew, for example, that it was called paramnesia, and he was interested as well in such corollary optical phenomena as jamais vu, never seen, and presque vu, almost seen.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller