Basic Details
Word: Phenomenon
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: A fact or event that can be seen or noticed, especially one that is unusual or hard to explain. The plural is phenomena.
Synonyms: occurrence, event, marvel
Word origin: Comes from Greek phainomenon, a thing that appears.
How to Spell Phenomenon
Syllables: phe - nom - e - non
Tricky part: It starts with ph and ends with on. The vowels go e, o, e, o, and many students end it with om or an.
Watch out for: phenomenom, phenominon, fenomenon
Memory tip: Clap it in four beats, phe-NOM-e-non, and notice the vowels swing e-o-e-o. One phenomenon, many phenomena.
Usage Examples
Example 1: A rainbow is a natural phenomenon that appears when sunlight shines through raindrops.
Example 2: The teenage chess champion from Chennai became a national phenomenon.
Example 3: Fireflies glowing together is a phenomenon seen in some forests of Maharashtra.
Fun Fact
The northern lights, or aurora borealis, are a phenomenon caused by tiny particles from the Sun striking gases high above the Earth.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct letters to complete the word:
phen_m_n_n
a) o, i, o
b) o, e, a
c) a, e, o
d) o, e, o
Show answer
d) o, e, o. Say phe-nom-e-non: the beats after phen give o, then e, then o.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
A solar eclipse is a rare nnoemohenp that draws crowds of sky-watchers.
a) phenomena
b) phenomenon
c) phantom
d) phoenix
Show answer
b) phenomenon. With three n's and no a, the jumble can only be the singular form.
Spell-o-Spell
Read the four words. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word:
1. hypothesis 2. phenomenom 3. experiment 4. laboratory
a) an event that can be observed, especially an unusual one
b) a test done to discover or prove something
c) an idea suggested as a possible explanation, to be tested
d) a room or building used for scientific work
Show answer
a) an event that can be observed, especially an unusual one. Phenomenon ends in on, so the second word is the misspelt one and its meaning is the answer.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What is the plural of phenomenon?
a) phenomenas
b) phenomena
c) phenomenae
d) phenomenoes
Show answer
b) phenomena
2. Which of these is a natural phenomenon?
a) a cricket bat
b) a postage stamp
c) a thunderstorm
d) a school timetable
Show answer
c) a thunderstorm
