Epiphany Definition & Meaning

Q: Is there a difference between 'epiphany' and 'revelation'?

Epiphany and revelation have many similarities in meaning; one sense of epiphany is "a revealing scene or moment," and one sense of revelation is "something that is revealed." However, epiphany may also mean "an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being," a sense not shared by revelation . Additionally, revelation is more likely to be used in the ecclesiastic sense of "an act of revealing or communicating divine truth."

Q: What does 'epiphany' mean in the Bible?

The earliest definition of epiphany refers to the religious observance on January 6: "A church festival in commemoration of the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles or in the Eastern Church in commemoration of the baptism of Christ." When used this way it is usually capitalized.

Q: Is there a difference between 'epiphany' and 'eureka'?

Eureka can function as an interjection or an adjective. An interjection is an ejaculatory utterance that usually lacks grammatical connection (someone who has just made a discovery may yell eureka ), and an adjective modifies a noun (the person might describe this discovery as a eureka moment ). While epiphany may cover some similar semantic terrain (particularly the sense meaning "an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure"), in terms of its function in a sentence, it is a noun.

Frequently Asked Questions About epiphany

Is there a difference between epiphany and revelation?

Epiphany and revelation have many similarities in meaning; one sense of epiphany is "a revealing scene or moment," and one sense of revelation is "something that is revealed." However, epiphany may also mean "an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being," a sense not shared by revelation. Additionally, revelation is more likely to be used in the ecclesiastic sense of "an act of revealing or communicating divine truth."

What does epiphany mean in the Bible?

The earliest definition of epiphany refers to the religious observance on January 6: "A church festival in commemoration of the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles or in the Eastern Church in commemoration of the baptism of Christ." When used this way it is usually capitalized.

Is there a difference between epiphany and eureka?

Eureka can function as an interjection or an adjective. An interjection is an ejaculatory utterance that usually lacks grammatical connection (someone who has just made a discovery may yell eureka), and an adjective modifies a noun (the person might describe this discovery as a eureka moment). While epiphany may cover some similar semantic terrain (particularly the sense meaning "an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure"), in terms of its function in a sentence, it is a noun.

Examples of epiphany in a Sentence

Invention has its own algorithm: genius, obsession, serendipity, and epiphany in some unknowable combination. — Malcolm Gladwell, New Yorker, 12 May 2008 One day, a New York composer met an expert on Asian domesticated elephants, and together they reached some sort of freakish epiphany and decided to see if elephants could learn to play music. — Jon Pareles, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2002 One epiphany came when a dozen engineers in northern New Mexico saw a lone, fading Xerox paper carton bobbing in a swamp of old motor oil at the bottom of a pit. — Michelle Conlin, Business Week, 1 Nov. 1999 Seeing her father again when she was an adult was an epiphany that changed her whole view of her childhood.

Recent Examples on the Web Leeds itself may have been a factor in this epiphany. — Nat Segnit, Harper’s Magazine , 16 Mar. 2022 Following his epiphany at the Atlanta gala in 2016, The Maestro wasted no time putting together his orchestra. — al, 7 May 2022 As the music took shape, Kramer had his epiphany: The album should be presented in an MC5 context. — Brian Mccollum, Detroit Free Press, 5 May 2022 Powell in particular is searing in his epiphany that his relationship and worth have been predicated on the ways his partner has used proximity to Blackness to his own ends. — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 17 Feb. 2022 That moment gets a lot of airtime in books and movies, often as a pivotal, middle-of-the-night epiphany in a protagonist's narrative arc. — Jodi Ettenberg, CNN, 29 Jan. 2022 What was your first musical epiphany, whether with the guitar specifically or music in general? — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2022 However, my epiphany from CES: long-term survival given global compliance, product liability and customer requirements shall require architecting the brand upon a stable-yet-evolving core. — Steve Tengler, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2022 Jessica says her own financial epiphany came on New Year’s Day 2017. — Laura Blasey, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'epiphany.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for epiphany

Middle English Epiphanie, borrowed from Anglo-French Epiphane, Epiphanie, borrowed from Late Latin epiphanīa, epiphania "appearance, manifestation, Christ's first manifestation (to the Gentiles in Western tradition)," borrowed from Late Greek epipháneia "appearance, manifestation (of God in the Old Testament, of Christ's first coming or of the Second Coming)," going back to Greek, "appearance, coming into view, manifestation (of a deity to a worshipper), Christ's coming (in the New Testament), visible surface, outward show, fame," noun derivative of epiphanḗs "coming into view, appearing, manifest, evident," adjective derivative from the stem of epiphaínein "to show, display," mediopassive epiphaínesthai "to come into view, be manifested, appear on the the service," from epi- epi- + phaínein "to bring to light, cause to appear," phaínesthai "to become visible, appear" — more at fantasy entry 1

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