word
Greek
Apocalypse
lit. โuncovering, revelationโ
A catastrophic end of the world.
Origin
The Greek title of the Book of Revelation, the final book of the New Testament. The original meaning was 'unveiling' โ the text purports to reveal hidden things about the end of history. Over time, the word migrated from 'revelation' to 'the catastrophic events being revealed.'
Modern usage
Now broadly synonymous with civilizational catastrophe. Spawned 'post-apocalyptic' as a genre.
Tags
end-times
catastrophe