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Phenomenon vs Circumstance - What's the difference?

phenomenon | circumstance |

As nouns the difference between phenomenon and circumstance

is that phenomenon is an observable fact or occurrence or a kind of observable fact or occurrence while circumstance is that which attends, or relates to, or in some way affects, a fact or event; an attendant thing or state of things.

As a verb circumstance is

to place in a particular situation, especially with regard to money or other resources.

phenomenon

English

(wikipedia phenomenon)

Alternative forms

* phaenomenon, (archaic) * phainomenon * (qualifier)

Noun

(phenomena)
  • An observable fact or occurrence or a kind of observable fact or occurrence.
  • * 1900 , , The Making of Religion , ch. 1:
    • The Indians, making a hasty inference from a trivial phenomenon , arrived unawares at a probably correct conclusion.
  • * 2007 , " Ask the Experts: Hurricanes," USA Today , 7 Nov. (retrieved 16 Jan. 2009):
    • Hurricanes are a meteorological phenomenon .
  • Appearance; a perceptible aspect of something that is mutable.
  • * 1662 , Thomas Salusbury (translator), Galileo's Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief Systems of the World , First Day:
    • I verily believe that in the Moon there are no rains, for if Clouds should gather in any part thereof, as they do about the Earth, they would thereupon hide from our sight some of those things, which we with the Telescope behold in the Moon, and in a word, would some way or other change its Phœnomenon .
  • A fact or event considered very unusual, curious, or astonishing by those who witness it.
  • * 1816 , , The Antiquary—Volume I , ch. 18:
    • The phenomenon of a huge blazing fire, upon the opposite bank of the glen, again presented itself to the eye of the watchman. . . . He resolved to examine more nearly the object of his wonder.
  • A wonderful or very remarkable person or thing.
  • * 1839 , , Nicholas Nickleby , ch. 23:
    • "This, sir," said Mr Vincent Crummles, bringing the maiden forward, "this is the infant phenomenon —Miss Ninetta Crummles."
  • * 1888 , , "The Phantom Rickshaw":
    • But, all the same, you're a phenomenon', and as queer a ' phenomenon as you are a blackguard.
  • 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).
  • * 1900 , , "Comparison of Some Views of Spencer and Kant," Mind , vol. 9, no. 34, p. 234:
    • Every "phenomenon " must be, at any rate, partly subjective or dependent on the subject.
  • * 1912 , , "Is There a Cognitive Relation?" The Journal of Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Methods , vol. 9, no. 9, p. 232:
    • The Kantian phenomenon is the real as we are compelled to think it.

    Usage notes

    * The universal, common, modern spelling of this term is (term). Of the , phaenomenon, ,). * By far the most common and universally accepted plural form is the classical phenomena; the Anglicised phenomenons is also sometimes used. The plural form (term) is frequently misused in the singular. Arising from this misuse, the double plurals phenomenas and phenomenae, as well as a form employing the greengrocer’s apostrophe — — are seen in non-standard use; they are erroneous.

    Synonyms

    * (observable fact or occurrence) event * marvel, miracle, oddity, wonder * (wonderful person or thing) marvel, miracle, phenom, prodigy, wonder

    Antonyms

    * noumenon, thing-in-itself

    Derived terms

    * phenom

    Related terms

    * phenomenal * phenomenalism * phenomenalistic * phenomenally * phenomenology

    External links

    * * English nouns with irregular plurals

    circumstance

    English

    Alternative forms

    * circumstaunce

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • That which attends, or relates to, or in some way affects, a fact or event; an attendant thing or state of things.
  • * Washington Irving
    • The circumstances are well known in the country where they happened.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1905, author=
    • , title= , chapter=1 citation , passage=“The story of this adoption is, of course, the pivot round which all the circumstances of the mysterious tragedy revolved. Mrs. Yule had an only son, namely, William, to whom she was passionately attached ; but, like many a fond mother, she had the desire of mapping out that son's future entirely according to her own ideas. […]”}}
  • An event; a fact; a particular incident.
  • * Addison
    • The sculptor had in his thoughts the conqoeror weeping for new worlds, or the like circumstances in history.
  • * 1834 , David Crockett, A Narrative of the Life of , Nebraska 1987, p. 20:
    • Then another circumstance happened, which made a lasting impression on my memory, though I was but a small child.
  • Circumlocution; detail.
  • * Shakespeare
    • So without more circumstance at all / I hold it fit that we shake hands and part.
  • Condition in regard to worldly estate; state of property; situation; surroundings.
  • * Addison
    • When men are easy in their circumstances , they are naturally enemies to innovations.

    Derived terms

    {{der3, attendant circumstance , extenuating circumstances , under no circumstance , under the circumstances}}

    Verb

    (circumstanc)
  • To place in a particular situation, especially with regard to money or other resources.
  • * 1858 , , Chapter 8:
    • Tidings had in some shape reached is ears that his father was not comfortably circumstanced as regarded money.
  • *