Ephphatha is a loanword used chiefly in Christian liturgical contexts to denote “be opened.” It is borrowed from the Aramaic phrase ܗܹܦܵܬܵܐ (ep̄thā) and popularized in English through biblical translations and rites. As a noun in ecclesiastical language, it appears in rites and ceremonial readings, especially in reference to Jesus’ healing of the deaf-mute. It’s pronounced with a distinctive, multisyllabic opening and a final unstressed syllable in most varieties of English.
Full pronunciation guide
