phenomena


phe·nom·e·na

P0241050 (fĭ-nŏm′ə-nə)n. Plural of phenomenon.

phe•nom•e•non

(fɪˈnɒm əˌnɒn, -nən)

n., pl. -na (-nə) or, esp. for 3, -nons. 1. a fact, occurrence, or circumstance observed or observable: the phenomena of nature. 2. something that is remarkable or extraordinary. 3. a remarkable or exceptional person; prodigy. 4. Philos. a. an appearance or immediate object of awareness in experience. b. (in Kantian philosophy) a thing as it appears to and is constructed by the mind, as distinguished from a noumenon, or thing-in-itself. [1595–1605; < Late Latin phaenomenon < Greek phainómenon appearance, n. use of neuter present participle of phaínesthai to appear, pass. of phaínein to show] usage: As with other plurals of Latin or Greek origin, there is a tendency to use the plural phenomena as a singular (This phenomena will not be seen again); such use, which is usually criticized by usage guides, occurs infrequently in edited writing. See also criterion, media1.

phenomena

  • cosmology - The study of the world as a totality of all phenomena in space and time.
  • noology - The science of intuition and reason as phenomena of the mind.
  • ontology, phenomenology - Ontology is the branch of metaphysics concerned with the nature or essence of being or existence, the opposite of phenomenology, the science of phenomena.
  • second nature - Originally Latin secundum naturam, "according to nature," it is from Aristotelian philosophy and contrasts with phenomena that are super naturam ("above nature," such as God's grace), extra naturam ("outside nature"), supra naturam ("beyond nature," such as miracles), or contra naturam ("against nature").