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revelo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word revelo

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Ovid
Ultimate origin
Latin (vēlum)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [rɛˈweː.ɫoː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [reˈvɛː.lo][1]

Forms

revēlō (present infinitive revēlāre, perfect active revēlāvī, supine revēlātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from re- “back” and vēlō “to cover, veil”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lewis and Short say it is not found before Augustus, and Ovid uses it of uncovering the face and of revealing a deception.[4][2] Köbler dates Ovid 43 BC–18 AD.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to remove a covering, unveil, as Ovid's face, Suetonius' head and Tacitus' forehead, and to raise the lid of a box.[2][4][6] Figuratively it meant to unmask a deception or disclose a secret, as in Ovid, Apuleius and Tertullian.[2][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to reveal, disclose, make known.[7] Through Old French reveler it gave English reveal about 1400, first of divine revelation.[3]

Timeline

  • 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of unveiling the face and revealing a deception.[2][4][5]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of baring the forehead.[4][5]
  • c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses it of revealing.[6][5]
  • c. 1400 – English reveal is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To uncover, unveil; to open.[2]
  2. To unmask; to reveal.[2]

Word family

  • revēlātiō

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Revelo.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/revelo. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·