Reading Theme:
Revelation: Definition, Usage & Common Examples (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：act of revealing (revelation)
revelation
/ˌrevəˈleɪʃn/
n.
the act of making something known that was hidden or secret.
act of revealing
➕
/ækt əv rɪˈviːlɪŋ/
n.
The process or event of disclosing information that was previously hidden, private, or secret.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Latin 'revelare' (to unveil, lay bare): 're-' (back, again) + 'velum' (veil).
💡 Mnemonic
Think of REVEALing a surprise under a VEIL.
📖 Example
The revelation of the new evidence completely changed the direction of the investigation.
The act of making the new evidence known completely altered the investigation's course.
🔗 Collocations
the revelation of – the act of making something secret known
shocked by the revelation – surprised by the disclosure of information
await revelation – wait for something to be disclosed
🔄 Synonyms
disclosure (n.) – the act of making new or secret information known
exposure (n.) – the act of making something publicly known, especially something bad
unveiling (n.) – the presentation of something new for the first time
🚫 Antonyms
concealment (n.) – the action of hiding something or preventing it from being known
suppression (n.) – the action of preventing information from being known or made public
🌱 Derivatives
reveal (v.) – to make known something that was previously secret or unknown
revelatory (adj.) – making something previously unknown known; revealing
📖 Cultural Story
The word 'revelation' entered English through Church Latin and Old French, originally referring to the divine disclosure of truth. It is central in religious contexts, naming the final book of the New Testament, the 'Book of Revelation'. Over time, its use broadened to signify any profound or surprising disclosure in secular contexts.
Meaning 2：surprising disclosure (revelation)
revelation
/ˌrevəˈleɪʃn/
n.
a fact that is surprisingly made known to everyone, especially one that is important.
surprising disclosure
➕
/səˈpraɪzɪŋ dɪsˈkləʊʒər/
n.
A surprising and significant piece of information that becomes known to people, often changing their understanding.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
The historian's discovery of the lost letters was a major revelation about the artist's early life.
The historian's finding of the missing letters was a profoundly surprising disclosure concerning the artist's youth.
🔗 Collocations
come as a revelation – be a surprising and enlightening discovery
a stunning revelation – an extremely surprising and shocking disclosure
personal revelation – a surprising fact one learns about oneself
🔄 Synonyms
discovery (n.) – the act of finding something unexpectedly or through search
eye-opener (n.) – an event or experience that reveals surprising information
shocker (n.) – a very surprising piece of news
🚫 Antonyms
common knowledge (n. phrase) – something known by most people
Wordbook
Your data is saved in this browser