From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishphenomenonphe‧nom‧e‧non /fɪˈnɒmənən $ fɪˈnɑːmənɑːn, -nən/ ●●○W3AWL noun (plural phenomena /-nə/) [countable]1HAPPENsomething that happens or exists in society, science, or nature, especially something that is studied because it is difficult to understandphenomenon of
the growing phenomenon of telecommuting
Homelessness is not a new phenomenon.natural/historical/social etc phenomenon
Language is a social and cultural phenomenon.► see thesaurus at event2UNUSUALsomething or someone that is very unusual because of a rarequality or ability that they haveCOLLOCATIONSadjectivesa new phenomenonThe idea that we may be able to live forever is is not a new phenomenon.a recent phenomenonDetailed food labelling is a fairly recent phenomenon.a common phenomenonCloudy water is a common phenomenon in new aquariums.a rare phenomenonPlanes have occasionally disappeared in midair, but this is a rare phenomenon.a strange phenomenonWhat could explain this strange phenomenon?a natural phenomenon (=one that happens in nature)Natural phenomena such as the appearance of comets intrigued him.a social/cultural etc phenomenonCrime is a complex social phenomenon.supernatural/paranormal phenomena (=ones that appear to be against the laws of nature)Ghosts are one example of paranormal phenomena.psychic phenomena (=relating to the power of the human mind to do strange things)psychic phenomena such as telepathyExamples from the Corpusphenomenon• Still walking five miles a day at the age of 95, the woman was an absolutephenomenon.• He is yet another phenomenon of questionable tangibility to emerge from the twelfthcentury.• the increasing phenomenon of the single parent family• Then an interestingphenomenon takes place: they become a safetyvalve.• Is it an illusion to imagine that this is a merely modernphenomenon? he wrote.• A new phenomenon is identified in some prisons.• IndustrialReD in the public sector is a relatively new phenomenon and the expectations from it are not very clear.• In dealing with this new phenomenon, I have two points to make.• The cellphone is a relatively recentphenomenon. It's difficult at the moment to assess its effects.• The same phenomenon was observed in New York.• We now know that our system of planetsorbiting the sun is not a uniquephenomenon.new phenomenon• The movement of peoples from East to West is a newer phenomenon.• BBut they say that busing, although not a new phenomenon, also accounts for enrollment increases, especially in the Valley.• Thus, what is happening in the Republican Party in 1996 is not a new phenomenon.• Illiteracy is not a new phenomenon in the United States.• This is not a new phenomenon.• ConclusionLarge-scale early retirement is a relatively new phenomenon in Britain.• In dealing with this new phenomenon, I have two points to make.Originphenomenon(1500-1600)Late LatinGreekphainomenon, from phainein“to show”
