Etymologically
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apocalypsis

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [a.pɔ.kaˈlyp.sɪs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [a.po.kaˈlip.sis][1]

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]

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