apocalyptic

Etymology

The OED takes it as borrowed from Medieval Latin apocalypticus (“of the biblical Apocalypse; of the nature of revelation”), recorded from the 15th century,^[2] from Ancient Greek ἀποκαλυπτικός (apokaluptikós, “of the nature of revelation”),^[2][3] which is formed from ἀποκαλύπτω (apokalúptō, “to uncover, disclose, reveal”), the source of apocalypse, with the suffix -ικός (-ikós).^[2][4][5] Etymonline, Merriam-Webster and Klein derive it directly from the Greek,^[4][5][3] and the Shorter Oxford through French apocalyptique,^[6] which is recorded in French from 1552.^[2] The longer form apocalyptical is attested earlier.^[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Of or belonging to the biblical Apocalypse, the visions of the Book of Revelation: 1625, in G. Salteren's Sacrae Heptades.^[2] Merriam-Webster dates this sense to 1633,^[5] and Etymonline to the 1660s.^[4]

Semantic evolution

The word first belonged to biblical commentary: from 1629 the Apocalyptic was St John, the author of Revelation,^[2][6][7] while from 1660 the adjective covered religious prophecy about heavenly secrets and the final divine purpose more generally.^[2] The general sense "revealing, prophetic" is recorded from 1643 in the OED, from the 1680s in Etymonline.^[2][4] The modern sense, suggesting the end of the world or the destruction of civilization, appears in 1835 in the OED and by 1864 in Etymonline.^[2][4] From 1930, in John Buchan, it was weakened to "disastrous" or simply "very bad".^[2] The noun was used from 1764 for someone who preaches or believes in apocalyptic prophecy, later, from 1873, for writing and teaching on such themes.^[2][6] In 1938 the word named a movement in British poetry marked by expressionist techniques, bold statements and a return to romanticism.^[2]

Timeline

• 1625 – of the biblical Apocalypse.^[2]
• 1629 – noun, the Apocalyptic, St John.^[2]
• 1643 – revealing, revelatory.^[2]
• 1660 – of religious prophecy in general.^[2]
• 1764 – noun, a believer in apocalyptic prophecy.^[2]
• 1835 – suggesting the end of the world.^[2]
• 1873 – noun, apocalyptic writing or teaching.^[2]
• 1930 – weakened, disastrous or very bad.^[2]
• 1938 – of a movement in British poetry.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of or relating to the biblical Apocalypse or to similar religious writings about the end of the world.^[2][5][8]
2. Predicting or suggesting the end of the world or a vast catastrophe; foreboding final doom: apocalyptic warnings about a warming planet.^[2][5][8]
3. Of the nature of a revelation; prophetic.^[2][5][8]
4. Disastrous, or very bad: The queue at the airport was apocalyptic.^[2]

Noun

1. (with the) St John, the author of the Book of Revelation.^[2][6]
2. A person who proclaims, interprets or believes in apocalyptic prophecy, especially one who expects the end of the world or a great disaster soon.^[2][5][6]
3. Writing or teaching on apocalyptic themes.^[2][5][6]

Word family

• apocalyptically
• postapocalyptic
• apocalypticism

Related words

• apocalypse
• apocalyptical

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 27 28 29 Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Klein, Ernest. A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. 2 vols. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1966–1967.
4. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d e f g h Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ a b c d e f Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
7. ^ Stevenson, Angus, ed. (2010), Oxford Dictionary of English, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
8. ^ a b c Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins