epiphenomenon
UK /ˌɛpɪfəˈnɒmɪnən/ · US /ˌɛpəfəˈnɑməˌnɑn/ noun
Forms epiphenomena epiphenomenons epiphaenomenon epiphænomenon
- noun An activity, process, or state that is the result of another; a by-product, a consequence.
- noun (philosophy, psychology) A mental process or state that is an incidental by-product of physiological events in the brain or nervous system.
- noun (pathology) A symptom that develops during the course of a disease that is not connected to the disease.
Synonyms
Etymology
From epi- (prefix meaning ‘above, on, over; in addition to’) + phenomenon. Phenomenon is derived from Late Latin phaenomenon (“appearance”), from Ancient Greek φαινόμενον (phainómenon, “thing that appears in one’s view; appearance; phenomenon”), a noun use of the neuter singular form of φαινόμενος (phainómenos), the present middle or passive participle of φαίνω (phaínō, “to cause to appear; to reveal, show, uncover; to expound”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- (“to glow with light, to shine”).
Sources: Wiktionary — from the Wiktionary entry “epiphenomenon”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details