Phenomenon
A phenomenon (Greek: φαινόμενον, phainómenon, from the verb phainein, to show, shine, appear, to be manifest or manifest itself, plural phenomena) is any thing which manifests itself. Phenomena are often, but not always, understood as “things that appear” or “experiences” for a sentient being, or in principle may be so.
The term came into its modern philosophical usage through Immanuel Kant, who contrasted it with the noumenon. In contrast to a phenomenon, a noumenon cannot be directly observed. Kant was heavily influenced by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz in this part of his philosophy, in which phenomenon and noumenon serve as interrelated technical terms. Far predating this, the ancient Greek Pyrrhonist philosopher Sextus Empiricus also used phenomenon and noumenon as interrelated technical terms.
Phenomenal (adjective)
Very remarkable; highly extraordinary; amazing.
Phenomenal (adjective)
Perceptible by the senses through immediate experience.
Phenomenal (adjective)
Of or pertaining to the appearance of the world, as opposed to the ultimate nature of the world as it is in itself.
Phenomenon (noun)
A perceptible through senses; or a fact or occurrence thereof.
Phenomenon (noun)
(extension) A knowable thing or event (eg by inference, especially in science).
Phenomenon (noun)
(metonymy) A kind or type of phenomenon (sense 1 or 2).
Phenomenon (noun)
Appearance; a perceptible aspect of something that is mutable.
Phenomenon (noun)
A fact or event considered very unusual, curious, or astonishing by those who witness it.
Phenomenon (noun)
A wonderful or very remarkable person or thing.
Phenomenon (noun)
An experienced object whose constitution reflects the order and conceptual structure imposed upon it by the human mind (especially by the powers of perception and understanding).