phenomena

noun

phe·nom·e·na | \ fi-ˈnä-mə-nə

, -ˌnä\

plural phenomenas

Definition of phenomena

nonstandard

: phenomenon

Can phenomena be used as a singular?: Usage Guide Example Sentences Learn More about phenomena

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Can phenomena be used as a singular?: Usage Guide

Phenomena has been in occasional use as a singular since the early 18th century, as has the plural phenomenas. Our evidence shows that singular phenomena is primarily a speech form used by poets, critics, and professors, among others, but one that sometimes turns up in edited prose. Although it seemed like a fad a few years ago, Twitter has evolved into a phenomena with more than 200 million users … — Myron P. Medcalf It is etymologically no more irregular than stamina and agenda, but it has nowhere near the frequency of use that they have, and while they are standard, phenomena is still rather borderline.

Examples of phenomena in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the first place, tornadoes are relatively rare events compared with other types of weather phenomena, Allen pointed out. — Chelsea Harvey, Scientific American, "Possible Links Between Warming and Tornadoes Are Still Murky," 22 Aug. 2019 The West is a big, big place, and every week our staff is all over it, digging up the shops and restaurants, beaches and trails, performances and, well, phenomena that make the region so vibrant. — Sunset Staff, Sunset Magazine, "Pull This Pork, Dip That Chip, and 5 More Things to See & Do This Week," 29 July 2019 But lurking just behind the curtain of all these exotic phenomena is a deceptively simple idea that pulls the levers, shows how the pieces fit together, and lights the path ahead. — K. C. Cole, WIRED, "The Simple Idea Behind Einstein’s Greatest Discoveries," 14 July 2019 But lurking just behind the curtain of all these exotic phenomena is a deceptively simple idea that pulls the levers, shows how the pieces fit together, and lights the path ahead. — Wired, "The Simple Idea Behind Einstein’s Greatest Discoveries," 14 July 2019 But lurking just behind the curtain of all these exotic phenomena is a deceptively simple idea that pulls the levers, shows how the pieces fit together, and lights the path ahead. — Quanta Magazine, "The Simple Idea Behind Einstein’s Greatest Discoveries," 26 June 2019 The depiction of upper-middle-class malaise and sororal suffering earned eight Emmys and four Golden Globes, and status as one of the last monocultural phenomena in an increasingly fragmented, niche entertainment landscape. — Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, "“Big Little Lies” Season 2, Reviewed: Meryl, Meryl, Meryl," 9 June 2019 The West is a big, big place, and every week our staff is all over it, digging up the shops and restaurants, beaches and trails, performances and, well, phenomena that make the region so vibrant. — Sunset Staff, Sunset, "Drink Rum, Go Raft-Camping, and 9 More Things to See & Do This Week," 22 Jan. 2018 Here in Orlando, before, during and after the game, the buzz from us media types was whether Week 0 was a phenomena or here to stay. — Ross Dellenger, SI.com, "Success of Florida-Miami Makes a Compelling Case for Future Week 0 Marquee Matchups," 25 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'phenomena.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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phenomena

Definition of phenomena

Can phenomena be used as a singular?: Usage Guide

Examples of phenomena in a Sentence

First Known Use of phenomena

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