Etymograph

English

epiphany

Epiphany comes from Ancient Greek ἐπιφάνεια ‘manifestation, striking appearance’, from ἐπῐφᾰνής ‘in view’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- ‘to shine’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰeh₂-‘to shine’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰh₂-n-yé-tireconstructedthematic yé-present of *bʰeh₂-
  3. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*pʰáňňō‘to appear’reconstructed
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφαίνωphaínō‘I shine, appear’
  5. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐπιφαίνωepiphaínō‘I appear, display’
  6. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐπῐφᾰνής‘in view’
  7. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐπιφάνειαepipháneia‘manifestation, striking appearance’
  8. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEepiphania
  9. Old Frenchc. 842–1400epyphanie
  10. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500epiphanie
  11. Englishearliest quotation 1981epiphany

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰeh₂-‘to shine’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰh₂-n-yé-tireconstructedthematic yé-present of *bʰeh₂-
  3. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*pʰáňňō‘to appear’reconstructed
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφαίνωphaínō‘I shine, appear’
  5. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐπιφαίνωepiphaínō‘I appear, display’
  6. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐπῐφᾰνής‘in view’
  7. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐπιφάνειαepipháneia‘manifestation, striking appearance’
  8. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEepiphania
  9. Old Frenchc. 842–1400epyphanie
  10. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500epiphanie
  11. Englishearliest quotation 1981epiphany

Earliest quotation: 1981, William Irwin Thompson, The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology: “The ithyphallic bird-man is the climactic, ecstatic, instantaneous male…”

The story

English Epiphany (of Christ) since the 14th century, generic use since the 17th century.

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- ‘to shine’

phone, focus, professor, famous, fuel, ben, favor, favourite, fate, fame, ban, photographer, profession, fatal, bee, fairy, fabulous, confession, abandon, confess, infant, beacon, beck, boon, symphony, eff, fab, fay, fable, foyer, prophetic, bane, buoy, nefarious, profess, bene, banish, infamy, banal, prophesy, 116 more

through Proto-Hellenic *pʰáňňō ‘to appear’

phase, 42 more

through Ancient Greek φαίνω ‘I shine, appear’

fantasy, fancy, phenomenon, emphasis, phantom, fantasia, phenomenology, phenomenally, phenol, phenom, tryptophan, phantasm, 41 more

Today it means

noun An illuminating realization or discovery, often resulting in a personal feeling of elation, awe, or wonder.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- / epiphany

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