Revelation
noun /ˌrev.əˈleɪ.ʃən/ — A dramatic disclosure; divine uncovering of truth
Definition
A surprising and previously unknown fact — or, in religious contexts, the disclosure of divine truth to humans. The uncovering of what was hidden.
Beyond the definition
The moment the veil lifts. A revelation changes what you know and therefore changes who you are — the same world looks different after it.
Origin & history
From Latin 'revelatio' (unveiling) — from 'revelare' (to unveil) — 're' + 'velare' (to veil). Related to 'veil'. The removing of the veil — what was hidden made visible.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The revelation arrived in a letter she hadn't expected — and reorganised everything she thought she understood about the previous decade.
In theology, revelation is not just information: it is the active self-disclosure of God — truth that cannot be reasoned to but must be given.
Revelation and the Book of Revelation: both share the sense of something previously concealed being shown — the end as a kind of seeing.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Revelation” when the meaning fits your context: A surprising and previously unknown fact — or, in religious contexts, the disclosure of divine truth to humans. The uncovering of what was hidden.
Synonyms
disclosure, discovery, unveiling, epiphany, uncovering
Antonyms
concealment, secrecy, obscurity
Related words
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Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Studying Maps and Prisms
An individual in a library examines a single, glowing prism, revealing light patterns that uncover new details on old maps.
The act of using the prism to see new, previously unknown light patterns on the maps portrays the nature of a revelation—uncovering what was hidden.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Revelation" mean?
Revelation is noun meaning: A dramatic disclosure; divine uncovering of truth. A surprising and previously unknown fact — or, in religious contexts, the disclosure of divine truth to humans. The uncovering of what was hidden.
Where does the word "Revelation" come from?
From Latin 'revelatio' (unveiling) — from 'revelare' (to unveil) — 're' + 'velare' (to veil). Related to 'veil'. The removing of the veil — what was hidden made visible.