revelation

From Middle English revelacioun, from Old French revelacion, from Latin revēlātiō (“disclosure”), from revēlō (“to disclose”), re (“again”) + vēlō (“to cover”).

• IPA^(key): /ɹɛvəˈleɪʃən/
• Hyphenation: rev‧e‧la‧tion

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• Rhymes: -eɪʃən

revelation (plural revelations)

1. The act of revealing or disclosing.
2. Something that is revealed.
   • 2013 July 26, Leo Hickman, “How algorithms rule the world”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 7, page 26:

     The use of algorithms in policing is one example of their increasing influence on our lives. […] who, if anyone, is policing their use[?] Such concerns were sharpened further by the continuing revelations about how the US National Security Agency (NSA) has been using algorithms to help it interpret the colossal amounts of data it has collected from its covert dragnet of international telecommunications.

3. Something dramatically disclosed.
4. (theology) A manifestation of divine truth.
5. A great success.
   • 2012 April 21, Jonathan Jurejko, “Newcastle 3-0 Stoke”, in BBC Sport:

     The 26-year-old has proved a revelation since his £10m move from Freiburg, with his 11 goals in 10 matches hauling Newcastle above Spurs, who went down to Adel Taarabt's goal in Saturday's late kick-off at Loftus Road.

• reveal

• relevation