Meaning & use
bilocation
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Meaning
noununcountable
The reported ability of a person to be present in two different places at the same time.
Grammar: Used without an article: he was said to have the gift of bilocation.
Patterns
- the gift of bilocation
- a case of bilocation
Stories of saints performing bilocation are found in many religious traditions.
The monk's reported bilocation was widely discussed in the village.
Some writers claim that bilocation proves the existence of the soul.
Common combinations
- the gift of bilocation
- The saint was said to possess the gift of bilocation.
- claim bilocation
- Several mystics claim bilocation.
- stories of bilocation
- Stories of bilocation circulated for centuries.
- reports of bilocation
- Reports of bilocation puzzled investigators.
Synonyms and how they differ
- bi-presence
- This is a rare term; bilocation is the established word.
- doppelganger sighting
- A doppelganger is a lookalike double, and sightings need not claim true presence in two places.
- astral projection
- This describes the mind leaving the body, a different claim from physically appearing in two places.
Word family
Commonly confused: bilocation or bilocal?
bilocation vs bilocal
Bilocal is not the same as bilocation; bilocation names the phenomenon.
Practice
The legend says the saint appeared in two cities on the same day, an example of _____.
Choose one answer.
Bilocation is the claim of being in two places at once. The other words concern moving, displacing or assigning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bilocation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.