apocalypse

apocalypse · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ep
2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂epó
3. Proto-Hellenic*apó
4. Ancient Greekᾰ̓πό (ăpó)
5. Ancient Greekἀπο- (apo-)
6. Ancient Greekκαλύπτω (kalúptō)
7. Ancient Greekἀποκαλύπτω (apokalúptō)
8. Ancient Greekᾰ̓ποκᾰ́λῠψῐς (ăpokắlŭpsĭs)
9. Latinapocalypsis
10. Middle Englishapocalips
11. English todayapocalypse

From Middle English apocalips, from Latin apocalypsis, from Ancient Greek ἀποκάλυψις (apokálupsis, “revelation”, literally “uncovering”), from ἀποκαλύπτω (apokalúptō, “to reveal”), from ἀπό (apó, “back, away from”) + καλύπτω (kalúptō, “to cover”), + -σις (-sis, suffix forming nouns). The sense evolution to "catastrophe, end of the world" stems from the depiction of such events in the biblical Book of Revelation, also called the Apocalypse of (i.e. Revelation to) John. The verb is from the noun and, in sense 1, a semantic loan from the etymonic Ancient Greek verb ἀποκαλύπτω (apokalúptō, “to reveal”).

Apocalypse · proper noun²

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromἀποκάλυψις“revelation”
2. English todayApocalypse

Proprialization from apocalypse, ultimately from Ancient Greek ἀποκάλυψις (apokálupsis, “revelation”). The translation decisions, from the original Greek to the conventional English choices Revelation and Apocalypse, are covered by Wikipedia at Book of Revelation § Title, authorship, and date.

First known use, by meaning

• from 14th c. A revealing, especially a prophecy of, or the unfolding of, supernatural events.
• from 19th c. A huge disaster; a cataclysmic event; destruction or ruin of large scope and scale.
• from 19th c. The unveiling of events prophesied in the Revelation; the second coming and the end of life on Earth; global destruction.