epiphany

An epiphany is a sudden realisation of the meaning of something, a sudden insight, a flash of comprehension.

The word’s source arises in religious contexts where the Feast of Epiphany is celebrated by Christians on January 6 each year. It marks the manifestation of divinity in Jesus as represented by the Magi and their symbolic gifts.

The history of the word dates to Indo-European roots and travelled through the Latin and Greek into the Middle Ages and thus into English.

Tip: the letters 'ph' point to a word’s likely passage through Greek.