theophany
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
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.
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
And yet one feels that a theology without a theophany is both dry and difficult to defend.
From The Reconciliation of Races and Religions by Cheyne, Thomas Kelly
A noticeable feature of this narrative, of which xx. 18-21 forms a natural continuation, is the fact that the theophany is addressed to the people, who are too frightened to remain near the mountain itself.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 1 "Evangelical Church Conference" to "Fairbairn, Sir William" by Various
The burning bush shows the theophany in the Jehovist to be the earlier.
From Prolegomena by Wellhausen, Julius
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
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.
