Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The act of revealing or disclosing.
  • noun Something revealed, especially a dramatic disclosure of something not previously known or realized.
  • noun A sudden insight or idea.
  • noun Theology A manifestation of divine will or truth.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The act of revealing.
  • noun The act of revealing or communicating religious truth, especially by divine or supernatural means.
  • noun That which is revealed, disclosed, or made known; in theology, that disclosure which God makes of himself and of his will to his creatures.
  • noun More specifically Such disclosure, communicated by supernatural means, of truths which could not be ascertained by natural means; hence, as containing such revelation, the Bible. ,
  • noun In metaphysics, immediate consciousness of something real and not phenomenal.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The act of revealing, disclosing, or discovering to others what was before unknown to them.
  • noun That which is revealed.
  • noun The act of revealing divine truth.
  • noun That which is revealed by God to man; esp., the Bible.
  • noun Specifically, the last book of the sacred canon, containing the prophecies of St. John; the Apocalypse or Book of Revelation or The Revelation of Saint John.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The act of revealing or disclosing
  • noun Something that is revealed.
  • noun Something dramatically disclosed
  • noun theology A manifestation of divine truth
  • noun A great success

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the speech act of making something evident
  • noun the last book of the New Testament; contains visionary descriptions of heaven and of conflicts between good and evil and of the end of the world; attributed to Saint John the Apostle
  • noun an enlightening or astonishing disclosure
  • noun communication of knowledge to man by a divine or supernatural agency

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English revelacion, from Old French revelation, from Latin revēlātiō, revēlātiōn-, from revēlātus, past participle of revēlāre, to reveal; see reveal.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin revēlātiō ("disclosure"), from revēlō ("to disclose"), re ("again") + vēlō ("to cover").

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Examples

  • With them, moreover, we maintain, that in doctrines which lie within the grasp of human reason, it is proper and a duty to expect and to inculcate a harmony between the teachings of revelation and the dictates of reason, thus to exhibit and confirm the _intrinsic moral fitness and glory of those truths of revelation_.

    American Lutheranism Vindicated; or, Examination of the Lutheran Symbols, on Certain Disputed Topics Including a Reply to the Plea of Rev. W. J. Mann 1836

  • If it could be proved that the principles manifested by revelation were like the principles in nature, against the developement of which there is no great barrier at one time than at another except what exists in the ignorance of man; and if the Christian could now try the experiment over again, and thereby demonstrate the truth of the doctrine of the _resurrection_, the same as the philosopher can try the experiment for himself, and thereby demonstrate the truth of the doctrine _of electricity_, then my doubts or surprise at the seeming partiality in the developement or discovery of the principles of the doctrine _of revelation_ would be entirely removed.

    A Series of Letters in Defence of Divine Revelation Hosea Ballou 1811

  • The main revelation is that the Indiana Jones 4 script hasn't yet been written, the rest ...

    Filmstalker: June 2006 Archives 2006

  • The main revelation is that the Indiana Jones 4 script hasn't yet been written, the rest of his options are also outlined.

    Filmstalker: Dreamworks talks Spielberg and Indiana Jones 2006

  • The word revelation or the concept of a vision was unknown to me.

    Letter to a Godchild Reynolds Price 2006

  • The word revelation or the concept of a vision was unknown to me.

    Letter to a Godchild Reynolds Price 2006

  • He cannot but see that the power of religion, especially belief in revelation, is weaker today than it was in any other epoch in human history.

    Isaac Bashevis Singer - Nobel Lecture 1978

  • Now at the top of the local politics food chain, Adams 'weaknesses are revealed, and the revelation is a yawner: Adams is, in fact, a mediocre leader who's finding out that the smarmy platitudes are no longer sufficient, and cannot replace leadership, real ethics, and courageous judgement.

    Tick, tick, tick (Jack Bog's Blog) 2009

  • And then the citation which follows is very pertinent, "as it is written, the just shall live by faith;" for this citation out of the Old Testament plainly shews, that the way of justification by faith was there mentioned; or, as our apostle expresseth it, was "witnessed by the law and the prophets;" and consequently, that this was a gradual discovery, which he calls a revelation "from faith to faith."

    The Works of Dr. John Tillotson, Late Archbishop of Canterbury. Vol. 05. 1630-1694 1820

  • By my personal favorite revelation is that Kellan prefers to be hugged when greeting someone.

    Twilight Lexicon » Kellan Lutz in People Magazine 2010

Comments

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  • I'm surprised I can't find other words that sum up some kind of life-changing religious experience or conversion - am I missing something?

    February 22, 2011

  • There's always epiphany.

    February 22, 2011