phenomenon

noun

phe·​nom·​e·​non fi-ˈnä-mə-ˌnän 

-nən

plural phenomena fi-ˈnä-mə-nə 

-ˌnä

or phenomenons

1

plural phenomena : an observable fact or event

2

plural phenomena

a

: an object or aspect known through the senses rather than by thought or intuition

b

: a temporal or spatiotemporal object of sensory experience as distinguished from a noumenon

c

: a fact or event of scientific interest susceptible to scientific description and explanation

3

a

: a rare or significant fact or event

b

plural phenomenons : an exceptional, unusual, or abnormal person, thing, or occurrence

Can phenomena be used as a singular?: Usage Guide

Phenomena has been in occasional use as a singular since the early 18th century, as has the plural phenomenas. Our evidence shows that singular phenomena is primarily a speech form used by poets, critics, and professors, among others, but one that sometimes turns up in edited prose.

Although it seemed like a fad a few years ago, Twitter has evolved into a phenomena with more than 200 million users …

—Myron P. Medcalf

It is etymologically no more irregular than stamina and agenda, but it has nowhere near the frequency of use that they have, and while they are standard, phenomena is still rather borderline.

Synonyms

• caution
• flash
• marvel
• miracle
• portent
• prodigy
• sensation
• splendor
• wonder

Examples of phenomenon in a Sentence

For example, we talk more loudly in cars, because of a phenomenon known as the Lombard effect—the speaker involuntarily raises his voice to compensate for background noise. —John Seabrook, New Yorker, 23 June 2008

This follow-the-winemaker phenomenon is a unique wrinkle in our wine culture. —James Laube, Wine Spectator, 15 May 2008

The days and nights of the Irish pub, smoky and dark and intimate, are giving way to another phenomenon: the superpub. These are immense places, loud with music; part honkytonk, part dance hall, some servicing as many as a thousand drinkers on several floors. —Pete Hamill, Gourmet, April 2007

They were ephemera and phenomena on the face of a contemporary scene. That is, there was really no place for them in the culture, in the economy, yet they were there, at that time, and everyone knew that they wouldn't last very long, which they didn't. —William Faulkner, letter, 7 Mar. 1957

natural phenomena like lightning and earthquakes

the greatest literary phenomenon of the decade

The movie eventually became a cultural phenomenon.

Recent Examples on the Web

While there are natural phenomena that can alter Earth's climate, such as volcanic eruptions or changes in orbital cycles, scientists have ruled these out as a cause of modern climate change, USA TODAY previously reported. —Kate S. Petersen, USA TODAY, 19 Oct. 2024

The phenomenon has attracted busloads of tourists who take pictures of cuddly-looking sea lions and post them on social media, captivating a large online audience that has rushed to the defense of the mammals. —Hunter Clauss, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2024

The agency previously forecast a weaker showing for aurora borealis through the weekend, though a minor geomagnetic storm—caused by a burst of energy and particles released by the sun—on Wednesday pushed the phenomenon farther south. —Ty Roush, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024

The celestial phenomenon occurs three or four times annually and always appears consecutively, per NASA. —Cailey Gleeson, Journal Sentinel, 17 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin phaenomenon, from Greek phainomenon, from neuter of phainomenos, present participle of phainesthai to appear, middle voice of phainein to show — more at fancy

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing phenomenon

• phi phenomenon
• unidentified aerial phenomenon
• unidentified anomalous phenomenon

Kids Definition

phenomenon

noun

phe·​nom·​e·​non fi-ˈnäm-ə-ˌnän 

-nən

plural phenomena -nə 

-ˌnä

or phenomenons

1

plural phenomena : an observable fact or event

2

: a fact, feature, or event of scientific interest

3

a

: a rare or important fact or event

b

plural phenomenons : an exceptional, unusual, or abnormal person or thing

Medical Definition

phenomenon

noun

phe·​nom·​e·​non fi-ˈnäm-ə-ˌnän, -nən 

plural phenomena -nə, -ˌnä 

1

: an observable fact or event

2

a

: an object or aspect known through the senses rather than by thought or intuition

b

: a fact or event of scientific interest susceptible of scientific description and explanation