the origin of the word apocalypse

Latin Learning Latin
1

Hi, how are you? Thanks for taking the time.

Is this word latin in origin?

If it is latin could you break it down in to its root words?

Sorry for bothering you guys with this but I’ve searched greek, latin, hebrew, and aramaic web sights and could not find a thing.
:slight_smile:

2

Hey,

If you ever need to look up a word’s etymology, your dictionary is the best place to look. www.dictionary.com almost always has a good etymology and definition, it says:

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=2&q=apocalypse

Middle English Apocalipse, from Late Latin Apocalypsis, from Greek apokalupsis, revelation, Apocalypse, from apokaluptein, to uncover : apo-, apo- + kaluptein, to cover

The preposition apo- is pretty much a sure-fire sign that a word is Greek, though it may pass through Latin on the way to English.

3

You might also be interested to know that the word Eucalyptus contains the same root-“eu”-well, “kalyptos”-covered.The seed is well covered, I suppose -etymology is my thing-not botany!

4

Thanks for the info I am actually using it for a Sindarin and" Black Speech" Dictionary I’m working on. I am trying to find the origins of complex words so I can build a more complete language.

:slight_smile: :smiling_imp:

5

Apocalypse originally meant an uncovering (by the gods), a revelation of things heavenly and godly.

Here, also, is the etymology of another word, Armageddon (I think):

I believe Megiddo was the town atop a hill (Har) in which lived many jews. In a particular period, the Romans came to conquer this town; with the thought of slavery, came the thought of suicide; and thus they comported themselves in accord with this latter sentiment, and concomitant to this malefaction was even the murder, or assisted suicide, of their progeny, the flesh of their flesh.

Thus, to the people, the bloody scene at the Har, Meggido, (the hill, Meggido; Armageddon) was the quintessence of the brutality and vehemency, with which the end of the world they supposed would come.

P.S. Sorry for the attempted drama. I wanted a narrative and unusually animated nuance for my exegesis of sorts…

6

Megiddo was indeed the site of many battles. This site http://siteofmegiddo.tripod.com/ is an archaeological and historical guide. The particular incident of the mass suicide you mention was at Masada: http://www.livius.org/ja-jn/jewish_wars/jwar05.html

7

I am happy to assist anybody concerning Greek words.