theophany
Americannoun
noun
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Etymology
Origin of theophany
1625–35; < Late Latin theophania < Late Greek theopháneia. See theo-, -phany
Explanation
When someone believes she has seen a true vision of God, it can be called a theophany. A theophany is an experience that many people hope for but few achieve: seeing an actual deity. Eastern and ancient Greek religions, as well as Christianity and Judaism, describe various types of theophanies. The Greek roots mean "god" and "appearance," and they show up in hundreds of other English words — theology, theocracy, and monotheism all come from theos, or god, and diaphanous, sycophant, and phantom come from phainein, "to show or to appear."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Robben, perhaps somewhat immodest, seemed to agree that the stadium had just witnessed a kind of theophany: "Everybody was tired in extra-time but I found my second life," he said.
From The Guardian ● Mar. 28, 2010
Ch. xix. contains two parallel accounts of the theophany on Horeb-Sinai, from E and J respectively, which differ materially from one another.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 1 "Evangelical Church Conference" to "Fairbairn, Sir William" by Various
In the Priestly Code it almost loses the character of a theophany entirely.
From Prolegomena by Wellhausen, Julius
The theophany is perhaps similar to that of Sinai.
From The Lords of the Ghostland A History of the Ideal by Saltus, Edgar
In ch. xix. we have a twofold description of the theophany on Mt.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 1 "Evangelical Church Conference" to "Fairbairn, Sir William" by Various
As to theophanies, the sight of the infinite Deity is expressly denied: John i.
From History of Rationalism Embracing a Survey of the Present State of Protestant Theology by Hurst, J. F. (John Fletcher)
But generally the influence of the divine or divinised being is more directly exercised, as in oracles, dreams, invisible touches, or actual theophanies, or appearances of the gods to the adoring patient.
From Human Personality and its Survival of Bodily Death by Myers, F. W. H. (Frederic William Henry)
It deals in no etymology, no proverbs nor songs, no miracles, theophanies nor dreams, and is destitute of all that many-coloured poetic charm which adorns the Jehovistic narratives.
From Prolegomena by Wellhausen, Julius
This explains a number of theophanies in the Bible, such as the burning bush, "the glory of the Lord," the cloud in the wilderness, and so on.
From A History of Mediaeval Jewish Philosophy by Husik, Isaac
And by fair implication, He would have us to identify the persons in these two great theophanies.
From Expositions of Holy Scripture Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and First Book of Samuel, Second Samuel, First Kings, and Second Kings chapters I to VII by Maclaren, Alexander
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
