Epiphany is a Christian festival on the 6th of January which celebrates the arrival of the wise men who came to see Jesus Christ soon after he was born.
2. countable noun
An epiphany is a moment of sudden insight or understanding.
...Isaac Newton's epiphany about gravity and a falling apple.
epiphany in British English
(ɪˈpɪfənɪ)
nounWord forms: plural-nies
1.
the manifestation of a supernatural or divine reality
2.
any moment of great or sudden revelation
Derived forms
epiphanic (ˌɛpɪˈfænɪk)
adjective
Word origin
C17: via Church Latin from Greek epiphaneia an appearing, from epi- + phainein to show
Epiphany in British English
(ɪˈpɪfənɪ)
nounWord forms: plural-nies
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
Epiphany in American English
(iˈpɪfəni; ɪˈpɪfəni)
nounWord forms: pluralEˈpiphanies
1. [e-]
an appearance or manifestation of a god or other supernatural being
2.
in many Christian churches, a yearly festival, held January 6, commemorating both the revealing of Jesus as the Christ to the Gentiles in the persons of the Magi and the baptism of Jesus
also called Twelfth Day
3. [e-]
a.
a moment of sudden intuitive understanding; flash of insight
b.
a scene, experience, etc. that occasions such a moment
Derived forms
epiphanic (ˌepiˈphanic) (ˌɛpəˈfænɪk)
adjective
Word origin
ME & OFr epiphanie < LL(Ec) epiphania < Gr(Ec) epiphaneia, appearance < epiphainein, to show forth, manifest < epi-, upon + phainein, to show: see fantasy