Definition of PHENOMENON

phenomenon

Plural: phenomena, phenomenon, phenomenons

Noun

  • any state or process known through the senses rather than by intuition or reasoning
  • a remarkable development
  • A thing or being, event or process, perceptible through senses; or a fact or occurrence thereof.
  • A knowable thing or event (eg by inference, especially in science).
  • A kind or type of phenomenon (sense 1 or 2).
  • Appearance; a perceptible aspect of something that is mutable.
  • A fact or event considered very unusual, curious, or astonishing by those who witness it.
  • A wonderful or very remarkable person or thing.
  • An experienced object whose constitution reflects the order and conceptual structure imposed upon it by the human mind (especially by the powers of perception and understanding).

Examples

  • A volcanic eruption is an impressive phenomenon.
  • An electromagnetic phenomenon.

Origin / Etymology

From Late Latin phaenomenon (“appearance”), from Ancient Greek φαινόμενον (phainómenon, “thing appearing to view”), neuter present middle participle of φαίνω (phaínō, “I show”).

Antonyms

noumenon, thing-in-itself

Scrabble Score: 17

phenomenon: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
phenomenon: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
phenomenon: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 21

phenomenon: valid Words With Friends Word