apparition

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

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

apparition (plural apparitions)

1. An act of becoming visible; appearance; visibility.
   • William H. Prescott

     the sudden apparition of the Spaniards

   • Sir Walter Scott

     The apparition of Lawyer Clippurse occasioned much speculation in that portion of the world.

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

     […] which apparition, it seems, was you.

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

   The attic is haunted by the ghostly apparition of a young girl who died there.

   • William Shakespeare

     I think it is the weakness of mine eyes / That shapes this monstrous apparition.

   • John Milton

     The heavenly bands […] a glorious 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): appearance
• (a preternatural appearance): vision
• See also Thesaurus:ghost

• apparent
• appearance

• IPA^(key): /a.pa.ʁi.sjɔ̃/

• audio (une apparition)

  (file)

apparition f (plural apparitions)

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

• (ghost): fantôme
• (plate appearance): apparition au bâton, présence, présence au bâton

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