apparition

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌæp.əɹˈɪʃn̩/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌæp.ɚˈɪʃ.n̩/, /ˌæp.ɚˈɪ.ʃən/

Noun

apparition (plural apparitions)

1. An act of becoming visible; appearance; visibility.

   The sudden apparition of the Spaniards. – William H. Prescott.

   The apparition of Lawyer Clippurse occasioned much speculation in that portion of the world. – Sir W. Scott.

2. The thing appearing; a visible object; a form.

   Which apparition, it seems, was you. – Tatler.

3. An unexpected, wonderful, or preternatural appearance; especially something such as a ghost or phantom.

   The attic is haunted by a ghostly apparition of a deceased young girl.

   The heavenly bands . . . a glorious apparition. – John Milton.

   I think it is the weakness of mine eyes That shapes this monstrous apparition. – William Shakespeare

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. An apparition begins with the heliacal rising of the body and ends with its heliacal setting.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.pa.ʁi.sjɔ̃/

• audio (une apparition)

  (file)

Noun

apparition f (plural apparitions)

1. appearance
2. ghost
3. (baseball) plate appearance

Further reading

• “apparition” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).