What does revere mean?
Revere means to regard someone or something with exceptionally deep respect and admiration. The word often suggests that the person, object, belief, or tradition is held in an almost sacred light or treated as a moral example. It is stronger and more solemn than admire and can be used for both people and things: one may revere a teacher, a local landmark, an ancestor, or a religious figure. In contemporary English, revere commonly appears in historical, literary, and commemorative writing, such as descriptions of a revered leader or a tradition revered by a community. Its elevated tone makes it especially suitable for expressing lasting esteem, although it should not be used for ordinary or easily changed preferences.
verbTo regard someone or something with deep respect and admiration, often treating them as exemplary, sacred, or worthy of special reverence.
- To regard with profound respect, admiration, and reverence.
"Many generations of artists have revered the poet for her moral courage and originality."
"The community continues to revere the teacher who transformed its school."
"He revered the old house because of the generations of family memories associated with it."
To revere is to place someone or something on a pedestal of deep, often almost sacred, respect.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does revere come from?
The word entered English in the late 16th century through French reverer, from Latin revereri, meaning “to regard with awe” or “to reverence.” Its Latin form combines re-, an intensifying prefix, with vereri, “to have awe of,” which relates to the same root seen in several English derivatives such as reverence and reverent.
Related word forms
How revere is actually used
Revere is more intense than respect and often implies admiration for a person, place, belief, or tradition regarded as admirable or sacred. It is common in literary, historical, and commemorative contexts.
Easily confused with revere
Revere is a verb meaning to regard with deep respect, whereas reverence is a noun meaning profound respect or admiration.