English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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The plural form of phenomenon, formed according to the Ancient Greek -ον (-on) (-a) pluralisation pattern.

Pronunciation

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  • (UK) IPA(key): /fɪˈnɒm.ə.nə/
  • (US) IPA(key): /fɪˈnɑm.ə.nə/
    • Audio (US):(file)

Noun

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phenomena pl

  1. plural of phenomenon
    • 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter II, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
      She was a fat, round little woman, richly apparelled in velvet and lace, [] ; and the way she laughed, cackling like a hen, the way she talked to the waiters and the maid, [] —all these unexpected phenomena impelled one to hysterical mirth, and made one class her with such immortally ludicrous types as Ally Sloper, the Widow Twankey, or Miss Moucher.

Usage notes

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  • May occasionally be used as a singular. This is generally considered an error. Compare criteria.