Definition of apparition
1a : an unusual or unexpected sight : phenomenon strange apparitions in the skyb : a ghostly figure reported seeing ghostly apparitions in the old house
2 : the act of becoming visible : appearance the apparition of sunlight through the window
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Examples of apparition in a Sentence
an eccentric who claimed to have photographed an apparition in her very own house
Recent Examples of apparition from the Web
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One hundred years ago, the sleepy agricultural town of Fátima in Portugal’s Centro region skyrocketed to international renown when three children reported seeing an apparition of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ.
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In an era of overweening ambition and impossible feats (the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge among them), Barnum’s Greatest Show on Earth must have seemed like an apparition from a realm of extreme human possibility.
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There was nothing in this swanlike apparition to suggest how stressful the relentless awards-show circuit can be.
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The smiley sailor boy and his trusty pooch have been executed, removed from their century's old position on the bottom of the box and brought back to hover over the madness as disapproving apparitions.
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Plait quickly snapped a photo of the splotch and posted the apparition on BadAstronomy.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'apparition'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of apparition
Middle English apparicioun, from Anglo-French aparicion, from Late Latin apparition-, apparitio appearance, from Latin apparēre to appear
First Known Use: 15th century
Other Occult Terms
APPARITION Defined for English Language Learners
apparition
playDefinition of apparition for English Language Learners
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: a ghost or spirit of a dead person
APPARITION Defined for Kids
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See words that rhyme with apparition Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for apparition Spanish Central: Translation of apparition Nglish: Translation of apparition for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of apparition for Arabic speakers
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