apocalypsis

Forms

apocalypsis f (genitive apocalypsis or apocalypseōs or apocalypsios); third declension^[1] Medieval scribes also wrote apocalipsis.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀποκάλυψις (apokálupsis, “uncovering, revelation”),^[4][5][3] from ἀποκαλύπτω (apokalúptō, “to uncover, reveal”), made of ἀπό (apó, “off, away from”) and καλύπτω (kalúptō, “to cover, conceal”).^[6][1] Etymonline traces the last to Proto-Indo-European *kel- (“to cover, conceal”).^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Tertullian (c. 160–220 AD),^[3] who speaks of the Revelation of John, apocalypsis Ioannis, in his work against Marcion.^[4][5]

Semantic evolution

It is a word of Christian Latin.^[4] Tertullian also uses it of a revelation generally,^[7] and the Vulgate has it both for a revelation given to a member of the church (1 Corinthians 14:26) and as the opening word and title of the last book of the Bible.^[4][7] Isidore of Seville explains that John the Evangelist wrote the book and that the Greek name means revelatio.^[8]

Medieval Latin kept both senses, a revelation or vision and the book of John,^[9][2] and used it in the titles of poems such as the Apocalypse of Golias.^[2] English took it over in the late 14th century as apocalypse.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian names the Revelation of John.^[4][3]
• 390–406 AD – The Vulgate uses it for revelation and for the book of John.^[4][3]
• c. 560–636 AD – Isidore of Seville explains the name as Greek for revelatio.^[8][3]
• 639–709 AD – Aldhelm mentions the creatures of the Apocalypse.^[10][3]
• late 14th century – Borrowed into English as apocalypse.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. (Ecclesiastical Latin) A revelation, a disclosing.^[4][11][9]
2. (Ecclesiastical Latin) The Apocalypse, the Revelation of John, the last book of the Bible.^[4][11][9]
3. (Medieval Latin) A vision.^[2]
4. (Medieval Latin) In titles, a poem in the form of a revelation.^[2]

Related words

• English apocalypse

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
3. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
6. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ a b Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
8. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
9. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
10. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
11. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson