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phan / phen / fan

to show, appear

Greek · phainein (φαίνω)

Greek phainein 'to show, bring to light, appear'. Phan- and phen- words are about appearing: a phenomenon is something that appears, a phantom appears as a ghost, a fantasy shows pictures in the mind.

Memory trick

A PHANtom APPEARS from nowhere: PHAN means to show or appear.

Words from this root