phenomenon

B1 Topic:Abstract Ideas

Also spelled phaenomenon, phaenomenoun, and phaenonena

US /fəˈnɑ.məˌnɑn/ UK /fəˈnɒm.ɪ.nən/ See IPA manual

Freq #7473

Meanings

1

noun
Something that happens or exists and can be seen, especially something studied or noticed.

Climate change is a phenomenon that affects the whole planet.
2

noun
Something or someone very unusual, remarkable, or impressive.

The young singer became a global phenomenon almost overnight.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · something that happens or... event

2 noun · something or someone very... marvel wonder prodigy

Opposites

noumenonthing-in-itself

Word family

Forms phaenomenaphenomenaphenomenons

Derived forms coprophenomenonechophenomenonepiphenomenonkamalanomenonmacrophenomenonmetaphenomenonmicrophenomenonnanophenomenonphenomphenomenal phenomenalism phenomenalistic

Related forms phenepheno-phenotype

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

psychic phenomena
events claimed to involve powers beyond ordinary sensory perception

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Phenomenon entered English in the late 16th century from Greek, where its source referred to things appearing to view. It is related through the Greek root phainon, “to show,” to words such as fantastic and phantom.

Etymology

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

*bʰeh₂- Proto-Indo-European phaenomenon la-lat φαινόμενον Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# phenomenon

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /fəˈnɑ.məˌnɑn/
**IPA (UK):** /fəˈnɒm.ɪ.nən/
**Frequency rank:** 7473

## Meanings
1. Something that happens or exists and can be seen, especially something studied or noticed.
2. Something or someone very unusual, remarkable, or impressive.

## Examples
- Climate change is a phenomenon that affects the whole planet.
- The young singer became a global phenomenon almost overnight.

## Antonyms
- noumenon
- thing-in-itself

## Derived Forms
- coprophenomenon
- echophenomenon
- epiphenomenon
- kamalanomenon
- macrophenomenon
- metaphenomenon
- microphenomenon
- nanophenomenon
- phenom
- phenomenal
- phenomenalism
- phenomenalistic

## Related Forms
- phene
- pheno-
- phenotype

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *bʰeh₂-
- Root: phaenomenon
- Root: φαινόμενον

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

## AI Etymology
Phenomenon comes from Late Latin phaenomenon (“appearance”), from Ancient Greek φαινόμενον (phainómenon, “thing appearing to view”), neuter present middle participle of φαίνω (phaínō, “I show”). The historical chain includes *bʰeh₂- (Proto-Indo-European), phaenomenon (la-lat), φαινόμενον (Ancient Greek). In present-day English it covers something that happens or exists and can be seen, especially something studied or noticed and something or someone very unusual, remarkable, or impressive. The wider family includes derived forms such as coprophenomenon, echophenomenon, epiphenomenon, kamalanomenon, macrophenomenon and related forms such as phene, pheno-, phenotype.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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