revelation

noun

rev·​e·​la·​tion ˌre-və-ˈlā-shən 

1

a

: an act of revealing or communicating divine truth

b

: something that is revealed by God to humans

2

a

: an act of revealing to view or making known

b

: something that is revealed

especially : an enlightening or astonishing disclosure

shocking revelations

c

: a pleasant often enlightening surprise

her talent was a revelation

3

capitalized : an apocalyptic writing addressed to early Christians of Asia Minor and included as a book in the New Testament

called also Apocalypse

see Bible Table

Synonyms

• disclosure
• divulgence
• exposure

Examples of revelation in a Sentence

The book includes many shocking revelations about the mayor's personal life.

The revelation that she was a drug user was not a surprise to me.

Revelations by the newspaper caused a scandal.

Recent Examples on the Web

Between the latest Malley revelations and Iran’s direct hand in massacres of Israelis and Americans in the terrorist attack on October 7, getting to the bottom of the Malley affair should be a major investigative priority of the House GOP. —The Editors, National Review, 13 May 2024

The revelation that tobacco companies could control the amount of nicotine in cigarettes sparked two decades of work in Washington that eventually led to the FDA gaining the power to regulate cigarettes in 2009. —Nicholas Florko, STAT, 13 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English revelacioun, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin revelation-, revelatio, from Latin revelare to reveal

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing revelation

• come as a revelation
• self-revelation

Kids Definition

revelation

1 of 2 noun

rev·​e·​la·​tion ˌrev-ə-ˈlā-shən 

1

: an act of revealing or making known divine truth

2

a

: an act of revealing to view

b

: something that is revealed

especially : a surprising or astonishing disclosure

Revelation

2 of 2 noun

Rev·​e·​la·​tion

ˌrev-ə-ˈlā-shən

: a writing dealing with the end of the world addressed to early Christians of Asia Minor and included as a book in the New Testament see bible