All 3 Uses of
phenomenon
in
The Scarlet Letter
- He was, in truth, a rare phenomenon; so perfect, in one point of view; so shallow, so delusive, so impalpable such an absolute nonentity, in every other.
Chpt Intr. *phenomenon = something that exists and is of special interest
- Nothing was more common, in those days, than to interpret all meteoric appearances, and other natural phenomena that occurred with less regularity than the rise and set of sun and moon, as so many revelations from a supernatural source.
Chpt 12phenomena = interesting observable things
- This phenomenon, in the various shapes which it assumed, indicated no external change, but so sudden and important a change in the spectator of the familiar scene, that the intervening space of a single day had operated on his consciousness like the lapse of years.
Chpt 20phenomenon = thing that exists
Definition:
-
(phenomenon) something that exists or happened -- especially something of special interest -- sometimes someone or something that is extraordinaryeditor's notes: "Phenomenons" and "phenomena" are both appropriate plural forms of this noun. "Phenomena" is generally used in scientific or philosophical contexts.