revelation

American  

[rev-uh-ley-shuhn] / ˌrɛv əˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of revealing or disclosing; disclosure.

   The revelation of previously hidden facts about the group’s activities changed the situation completely.

   Synonyms:

   exposure, divulgence, admission

2. something revealed or disclosed, especially a striking disclosure, such as of something not before realized.

   Her memoir contained several fascinating revelations about her love life.

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. Also called The Revelation of St. John the Divine.  Revelation. the last book in the New Testament; the Apocalypse. Rev.

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revelation ¹ British  

/ 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

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Revelation ² British  

/ ˌrɛvəˈleɪʃən /

noun

1. Also called: the Apocalypse.   the 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

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Other Word Forms

• nonrevelation noun
• prerevelation noun
• revelational adjective
• unrevelational adjective

Etymology

Origin of revelation

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. )

Example Sentences

Such a revelation could have a "significant impact" on them, says Nina Barnsley from the UK charity, the Donor Conception Network.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Now his name is trending again, his lawsuit against his parents a startling revelation.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

The revelation that prediction markets could dodge state rules and taxes through what he calls a “loophole” prompted him to launch an anti-prediction market lobbying group called Gambling Is Not Investing.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

Still, the book’s most profound revelation is the degree to which the story of Motown is the story of competing memories and subjective accounts.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

It was a little late for that revelation, I thought.

From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool

Related Words

• announcement
• discovery
• epiphany
• leak
• news