noun
Epiphany
ih-PIH-fuh-nee
noun
1
A sudden, striking flash of insight or understanding.
"Halfway through the lecture, she had an epiphany about how to fix her code."
"His epiphany came while washing dishes — he suddenly knew he wanted to change careers."
2
Epiphany: a Christian feast, celebrated on January 6, marking the revealing of Jesus Christ to the Magi.
"Many countries celebrate Epiphany with parades and gift-giving on January 6."
How to Use Epiphany
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA sudden realization that changes how you see something — or, capitalized, the Christian holiday on January 6.
Common pairings
have an epiphany
a moment of epiphany
sudden epiphany
Word Forms
Epiphanies plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “Epiphany”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Halfway through the lecture, she had an _____ about how to fix her code.
Etymology
From Greek epiphaneia, "manifestation" or "appearance" — from epi- ("upon") + phainein ("to show").