What does revealment mean?
Revealment is a formal noun for the act of disclosing something that was previously hidden, unknown, or withheld. It refers to the process of making information public rather than simply to the information itself. The word can apply to the disclosure of evidence, a concealed identity, a secret intention, or a truth concealed within a story or event. Its tone is literary, legal, religious, or analytical, so it is much less common in ordinary conversation than disclosure, revelation, or uncovering. Revealment is also distinct from revelation: while both can denote an act of disclosure, revelation often places greater emphasis on the remarkable truth, insight, or divine communication that emerges. Although revealment sounds formal, it is not merely old-fashioned; it remains a precise choice when the act of revealing is itself important to the context. The related word reveal provides the clearest etymological clue, while revelation serves as the more familiar alternative.
nounThe act of revealing something previously hidden or unknown; a disclosure.
- The act of revealing something previously hidden or unknown.
"The gradual revealment of the truth transformed the novel."
"The revealment of the hidden ledger brought the conspiracy into the open."
"Her testimony marked a moment of revealment in the long-running inquiry."
The plural refers to separate acts or instances of disclosure and is appropriate when discussing multiple revelations in a narrative or inquiry.
"The novel's successive revealments reshaped the reader's understanding of its central relationship."
Revealment names the moment a secret becomes public, emphasizing the disclosure itself rather than the astonishing truth being disclosed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does revealment come from?
Revealment was formed in English by adding the noun-forming suffix -ment to reveal. Reveal entered Middle English through Old French reveler, from Latin revelare, meaning “to uncover” or “disclose”; this was built from re-, meaning “again,” and velare, “to veil.” The suffix -ment reflects the Latin noun-forming element -mentum, which was widely used to create nouns denoting an action or its result.
How revealment is actually used
Rare and formal or literary. It may sound especially formal in legal, religious, or dramatic contexts; revelation is far more common in everyday use.
Easily confused with revealment
Revealment emphasizes the act of making something known, whereas revelation can also refer to the truth or insight that is revealed.