apocalypse

apocalypse
/euh pok"euh lips/, n.
1. (cap.) revelation (def. 4).
2. any of a class of Jewish or Christian writings that appeared from about 200 B.C. to A.D. 350 and were assumed to make revelations of the ultimate divine purpose.
3. a prophetic revelation, esp. concerning a cataclysm in which the forces of good permanently triumph over the forces of evil.
4. any revelation or prophecy.
5. any universal or widespread destruction or disaster: the apocalypse of nuclear war.
[1125-75; ME < LL apocalypsis < Gk apokálypsis revelation, equiv. to apokalýp(tein) to uncover, reveal (apo- APO- + kalýptein to cover, conceal) + -sis -SIS]

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In many Western religious traditions, the period of catastrophic upheaval expected to occur just before the end of the world, when God will come to sit in judgment on humankind.

The belief that the world will come to a violent and cataclysmic end exists in Judaism and Christianity as well as in Zoroastrianism. Several of the prophetic works of the Hebrew Scriptures, notably the book of Daniel, include visions of the apocalypse. The book of Revelation (or Apocalypse) gives a dark and dramatic picture of the end of time, when the wicked will be punished and the good will triumph through God's intervention. The approach of the Last Days is expected to be marked by famines, wars, earthquakes, plagues, and other natural disasters, along with signs in the heavens. Today apocalyptic themes are emphasized by various religious groups (e.g., fundamentalist Christians) and have also been taken up by science-fiction writers. See also eschatology; millennialism.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Apocalypse — (Greek: unicode|Ἀποκάλυψις Apokálypsis ; lifting of the veil ) is a term applied to the disclosure to certain privileged persons of something hidden from the majority of humankind. Today the term is often used to refer to the end of the world,… …   Wikipedia

  • Apocalypse —     Apocalypse     † Catholic Encyclopedia ► Apocalypse     Apocalypse, from the verb apokalypto, to reveal, is the name given to the last book in the Bible. It is also called the Book of Revelation.     Although a Christian work, the Apocalypse… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • apocalypse — [ apɔkalips ] n. f. • XIIe; lat. ecclés. d o. gr. apocalypsis « révélation » 1 ♦ L Apocalypse : dernier livre du Nouveau Testament, attribué par l Église à saint Jean l Évangéliste, riche en visions symboliques, prophétiques et eschatologiques.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

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  • APOCALYPSE — (Gr. ἁποκαλυψις; revelation ), term which, strictly speaking, denotes the Jewish literature of revelations which arose after the cessation of prophecy and the Christian writings that derived from this Jewish literature. The major purpose of… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

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  • Apocalypse — A*poc a*lypse, n. [L. apocalypsis, Gr. ?, fr. ? to uncover, to disclose; ? from + ? to cover, conceal: cf. F. apocalypse.] 1. (Eccl.) One of a numerous class of writings proceeding from Jewish authors between 250 b. c. and 150 a. d., and designed …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  • apocalypse — APOCALYPSE. s. m. Révélation. On appelle ainsi le Livre Canonique qui contient les révélations faites à Saint Jean l Évangéliste. Les figures de l Apocalypse. Commentaires sur l Apocalypse de Saint Jean. [b]f♛/b] On dit figurém. Style d… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • apocalypse — APOCALYPSE. s. f. Revelation. Ne se dit que du Livre Canonique qui contient les revelations faites à saint Jean. Les figures de l Apocalypse. la beste de l Apocalypse. il y a de grandes obscuritez dans l Apocalypse. Saint Jean dans son Apocalypse …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

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