Phase
/feɪz/noun
A stage in a process, cycle, or development; also a particular position in a repeating pattern such as a wave.
Did you know?The word comes from Greek *phasis*, meaning “appearance” or “showing,” from a root tied to *light* and *bringing to light*—so a “phase” was originally less a technical stage and more a visible manifestation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bheh₂-
“to shine; to appear; to speak”
Ancient Greek
Greek
φάσις (phasis)
“appearance, showing, statement”
Late Greek
Greek
φάσις (phasis)
“appearance of a heavenly body, especially the moon's visible aspect”
Late Latin
Latin
phasis
“an appearance or phase, especially of the moon”
Middle English
English
phase
“a stage or appearance of the moon or a phenomenon”
Modern English
English
phase
“a distinct stage in a process or cycle”
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