apparition - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From Middle French apparition, from Latin apparitio, from appareo.

apparition (plural apparitions)

  1. An act of becoming visible; appearance; visibility.
  2. The thing appearing; a visible object; a form.
    • 1709 August 27 (Gregorian calendar), Isaac Bickerstaff [_et al._, pseudonyms; Richard Steele _et al._], “Tuesday, August 16, 1709”, in The Tatler, number 55; republished in [Richard Steele], editor, The Tatler, […], London stereotype edition, volume I, London: I. Walker and Co.; […], 1822, →OCLC:
      […] which apparition, it seems, was you.
  3. An unexpected, wonderful, or preternatural appearance; especially, one by a ghost, phantom, or suchlike; the entity itself.
    Synonyms: vision; see also Thesaurus:ghost
    Coordinate term: theophany
    The region's economy is buoyed by tourism driven by past apparitions of the Virgin Mary.
    The attic is said to be haunted by the ghostly apparition of a young girl who died there.
    He spoke to the apparition, and although its lips did not move, he somehow heard its reply.
    • 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
      I think it is the weakness of mine eyes / That shapes this monstrous apparition.
    • 1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
      The heavenly bands […] a glorious apparition.
    • 1982, Douglas Adams, Life, the Universe and Everything, page 24:
      The apparition wobbled in front of Arthur's eyes, though the truth of the matter is probably that Arthur's eyes were wobbling in front of the apparition.
  4. (astronomy) The first appearance of a star or other luminary after having been invisible or obscured; opposed to occultation.
  5. (astronomy) A period of consecutive days or nights when a particular celestial body may be observed, beginning with the heliacal rising of the body and ending with its heliacal setting.

act of becoming visible

thing appearing

unexpected, wonderful, or preternatural appearance

From Latin appāritiōnem.

apparition f (plural apparitions)

  1. appearance
  2. ghost
    Synonym: fantôme
  3. (baseball) plate appearance
    Synonyms: apparition au bâton, présence, présence au bâton