revolution English · revision 4499

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1385|origins=la revolvere}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˌrev.əlˈuː.ʃən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|revolucioun]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[bor|fro|revolucion|t=course, revolution of heavenly bodies]] (13th century),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) or directly [[der|la-lat|revolūtiō|t=a revolving]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) a noun of action from revolūt-, past participle stem of Latin revolvere “to turn, roll back”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) the source of [[revolve]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The revolving of a heavenly body in its orbit: about 1385 in Barnhart, in Chaucer's Complaint of Mars,^(Barnhart 1988) 1390 in the OED,^(OED 1989) the late 14th century in Etymonline, also of the time taken for one circuit.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A change of fortune is from probably before 1400,^(Barnhart 1988) a recurrence or cycle of events, as of the seasons, and the turning of a wheel from the early 15th century,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and an instance of great change in affairs from the mid-15th century.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) Turning or moving round a point is from the 1660s,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and rotation about an axis from 1710.^(OED 1989) The political sense, the overthrow of an established government, is recorded from 1600,^(Barnhart 1988) by about 1600 in Etymonline, after French,^(Etymonline) and was reinforced in English by its use for the expulsion of James II in 1688, the Glorious Revolution,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) and later by the French Revolution (1789–95), which at the time caused much greater concern among the British than the American Revolution.^(Barnhart 1988) ''Revolutionary'' is from 1774,^(Barnhart 1988) ''revolutionize'' from 1797,^(Barnhart 1988) and the ''green revolution'' in food production from 1970.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1385 – the revolving of a heavenly body.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * a. 1400 – a change of fortune.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * early 15th century – a cycle; the turning of a wheel.^(Etymonline)

+ * mid-15th century – a great change.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1600 – a political overthrow.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1688 – the Glorious Revolution.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1710 – rotation about an axis.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1774 – ''revolutionary''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1970 – ''green revolution''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The overthrow of a government or social system by those governed, and its replacement by another.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A sudden or far-reaching change: ''the Industrial Revolution''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Motion of a body round a point, as of a planet in its [[orbit]], or one complete turn of such motion.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A turning about an [[axis]]; [[rotation]], or one complete turn.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[antirevolution]]

+ * [[counterrevolution]]

+ * [[nonrevolution]]

+ * [[prorevolution]]

+ * [[revolutionise]]

+ * [[revolutionist]]

+ * [[postrevolution]]

+ * [[revolutionary]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[revolve]]

+ * [[revolt]]

+ * [[revolver]]

+ * [[evolution]]

+ * [[volume]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}