Epiphanise

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To have a sudden, profound moment of understanding or realization that changes how one sees something
2. To undergo a sudden spiritual or intellectual revelation that suddenly makes things clear
3. To come to a sudden, striking insight that reshapes one's perception of a situation or idea

Etymology: "Epiphanise" is the British spelling of "epiphanize," a verb meaning to reveal or to experience a sudden, illuminating insight. The root is the Greek "epiphaneia," formed from "epi," meaning "upon" or "over," and "phainein," meaning "to show" or "to appear." Together the parts describe something appearing upon or over the viewer, which is why the Greek noun came to mean a manifestation of a god and, in Christian usage, the feast of the Epiphany commemorating the revelation of Christ to the Magi. The verb is a later formation in English, built from the noun "epiphany" with the suffix "-ize" (or "-ise" in British spelling), a pattern used for turning nouns into verbs meaning "to make or become." In this case the sense of the noun had already shifted from religious manifestation toward a moment of sudden understanding, and the verb follows that shift.

Synonyms: realize