Phenomenon

Jahee

Platinum Member
Sep 21, 2006
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Did this word originate from english language?

Edit: Just looked it up on dictionary.com "from Greek phainomenon, from neuter present participle of phainesthai, to appear. See bh-1 in Indo-European Roots.]"
 

Jahee

Platinum Member
Sep 21, 2006
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conflicting information here haha, which is it? the way it sounds doesnt really seem english to me.
 

rikadik

Senior member
Dec 30, 2004
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phenomenon
1576, "fact, occurrence," from L.L. phænomenon, from Gk. phainomenon "that which appears or is seen," noun use of neut. prp. of phainesthai "to appear," passive of phainein (see phantasm). Meaning "extraordinary occurrence" first recorded 1771. Plural is phenomena. Phenomenal "of the nature of a phenomenon" is a hybrid coined 1825 by Coleridge, with suffix from L. -alis; meaning "extraordinary" is first attested 1850. Shortened form phenom is baseball slang, first recorded 1890.
 

shilala

Lifer
Oct 5, 2004
11,437
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Originally posted by: CollectiveUnconscious
Originally posted by: shilala
CU has no idea what he's talking about.
I have a vested greek interest.

Alright, he bit. Now, let it go, and tell him the true etymology.

Alright, you got me.
It really means "I have a red pencil box".