Lépiphore

Lépiphore is a neologism that has appeared in a limited body of French-language speculative writing and online discussions about narrative technique. It designates a narrative or cognitive moment in which a concealed connection among earlier elements is suddenly revealed, producing a lucid turning point for the reader or listener. Unlike a general epiphany, a lépiphore tends to be embedded in the fabric of a scene or argument and is triggered by a specific clue, fragment, or juxtaposition rather than by a single, spontaneous insight.

The term is a coinage rather than an established term in linguistics or literary studies. It fuses a French definite article le with a form resembling epiphore, a word echoing epiphany while suggesting a bearer or carrier of meaning. Because it is not widely used, its definition and boundaries vary among authors.

In practice, a lépiphore serves as a structural hinge. It marks a moment where prior motifs, clues, or perspectives converge to illuminate a new reading of the preceding material. It can function across genres, including fiction, essay, and cinema, to recalibrate tone, theme, or narrative pace.

See also: Epiphany; Narrative hinge; Rhetorical device.