Word of the day: Epiphenomenon

Epiphenomenon

[ep-ee-fə-NAH-mən-ahn]

Part of speech: noun

Origin: New Latin, early 18th century

A secondary effect or byproduct that arises from but does not causally influence a process.

Examples of epiphenomenon in a sentence

"Some economists believe the rising inflation rates are simply an epiphenomenon."

"Maggie’s doctor felt her symptoms were an epiphenomenon and not a direct correlation."

About Epiphenomenon

This word comes from the Greek “epi-,” a word-forming element meaning “on, upon, above,” plus “phenomenon,” originally from the Greek “phainomenon,” meaning "that which appears or is seen."

Did you Know?

There's a theory in psychology that suggests that the images we conjure in our brains are an epiphenomenon of a more basic cognitive process. In the computational theory, your mind comprehends and retrieves information on a more fundamental level, and what you perceive (the mental image) is simply a byproduct of this process.