revelation

[ rev-uh-ley-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of revealing or disclosing; disclosure.

   Synonyms: exposure, divulgence, admission

2. something revealed or disclosed, especially a striking disclosure, as of something not before realized.
3. Theology.
   1. God's disclosure of Himself and His will to His creatures.
   2. an instance of such communication or disclosure.
   3. something thus communicated or disclosed.
   4. something that contains such disclosure, as the Bible.
4. Revelations. Also called The Revelation of St. John the Divine. the last book in the New Testament; the Apocalypse. : Rev.

revelation

¹

/ ˌrɛvəˈleɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of disclosing something previously secret or obscure, esp something true
2. a fact disclosed or revealed, esp in a dramatic or surprising way
3. Christianity
   1. God's disclosure of his own nature and his purpose for mankind, esp through the words of human intermediaries
   2. something in which such a divine disclosure is contained, such as the Bible

Revelation

²

/ ˌrɛvəˈleɪʃən /

noun

1. Also calledthe Apocalypsethe Revelation of Saint John the Divine popularly, often plural the last book of the New Testament, containing visionary descriptions of heaven, of conflicts between good and evil, and of the end of the world

Derived Forms

• ˌreveˈlational, adjective

Other Words From

• rev·e·la·tion·al adjective
• non·rev·e·la·tion noun
• pre·rev·e·la·tion noun
• un·rev·e·la·tion·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of revelation¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English revelacion, revelacioun, from Anglo-French revelaciun, revelacioun, revelatiun, from Middle French revelacion, revelation, from Late Latin revēlātiōn- (stem of revēlātiō ), equivalent to Latin revēlā(tus) , past participle of revēlāre “to remove the cover from, unveil, lift the lid of, uncover” + -tiōn- verbal noun suffix dentoting the action of the verb; reveal, -tion; apocalypse ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of revelation¹

C14: from Church Latin revēlātiō from Latin revēlāre to reveal

Example Sentences

There was the empathetic way she dealt with the revelation that Mrs. Baxter is a former criminal.

From The Daily Beast

The revelation that, at age 42, Ben Affleck has one hell of an ass.

From The Daily Beast

It was also the most shocking revelation of 2014: Beyoncé Knowles is not perfect.

From The Daily Beast

Quite why anyone is as shocked and surprised by this “revelation” as some are claiming, is beyond me.

From The Daily Beast

And, he adds, God promises in Revelation 11:18 that “I will destroy those who destroy the Earth.”

From The Daily Beast

The supernaturalist alleges that religion was revealed to man by God, and that the form of this revelation is a sacred book.

From Project Gutenberg

Each religion claims that its own Bible is the direct revelation of God, and is the only true Bible teaching the only true faith.

From Project Gutenberg

Is the Bible revelation so clear and explicit that no difference of opinion as to its meaning is possible?

From Project Gutenberg

He knew that the whole fabric of crime was due to the human reading of His "revelation" to man.

From Project Gutenberg

The recognition did not lessen the reality, the poignancy of the revelation by any suggestion or promise of instability.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• announcement
• discovery
• epiphany
• leak
• news