revelation

[ rev-uh-ley-shuhn ]
/ ˌrɛv əˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

the act of revealing or disclosing; disclosure.
something revealed or disclosed, especially a striking disclosure, as of something not before realized.
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.
(initial capital letter) Also called Revelations, The Revelation of St. John the Divine. the last book in the New Testament; the Apocalypse. Abbreviation: Rev.

Origin of revelation

1275–1325; Middle English revelacion (< Old French) < Late Latin revēlātiōn- (stem of revēlātiō), equivalent to Latin revēlāt(us) (past participle of revēlāre to reveal) + -iōn- -ion

OTHER WORDS FROM revelation

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

Example sentences from the Web for revelation

British Dictionary definitions for revelation (1 of 2)

revelation
/ (ˌrɛvəˈleɪʃən) /

noun

the act or process of disclosing something previously secret or obscure, esp something true
a fact disclosed or revealed, esp in a dramatic or surprising way
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

Derived forms of revelation

revelational, adjective

Word Origin for revelation

C14: from Church Latin revēlātiō from Latin revēlāre to reveal

British Dictionary definitions for revelation (2 of 2)

Revelation
/ (ˌrɛvəˈleɪʃən) /

noun

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