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apocalypse

American  
[uh-pok-uh-lips] / əˈpɒk ə lɪps /

noun

    1. a prophecy or revelation, especially regarding a final cataclysmic battle between good and evil.

    2. the apocalypse, in some belief systems, a final cataclysmic battle of this kind, in which evil is defeated and the present age brought to a close.

      According to traditional evangelical teaching, the apocalypse will begin with a time of persecution.

    3. the apocalypse, the end of civilization; the complete destruction or collapse of the world as we know it (sometimes used facetiously).

      On both ends of the political spectrum, visions of the apocalypse and predictions of doom abound.

      We thought this recession might be the apocalypse, and sales would go down to 1 percent.

  1. any universal or widespread destruction or disaster.

    If humanity is to avoid a nuclear apocalypse, a whole new level of international cooperation is urgently required.

  2. Apocalypse. Revelation.

  3. any piece of literature belonging to a genre of Jewish or Christian writings that appeared from about 200 b.c. to the late Middle Ages and were assumed to reveal God’s ultimate purpose.


apocalypse 1 British  
/ əˈpɒkəlɪps /

noun

  1. a prophetic disclosure or revelation

  2. an event of great importance, violence, etc, like the events described in the Apocalypse

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Apocalypse 2 British  
/ əˈpɒkəlɪps /

noun

  1. Bible (in the Vulgate and Douay versions of the Bible) the Book of Revelation

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Apocalypse Cultural  
  1. Another name for the New Testament Book of Revelation; from the Greek word for “revelation.”


Discover More

An “apocalypse” is a final catastrophe.

The Apocalypse is supposed to come at the end of the world or of time.

Etymology

Origin of apocalypse

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English, from Late Latin apocalypsis, from Greek apokálypsis “revelation,” from apokalýp(tein) “to uncover, reveal” (from apo- apo- + kalýptein “to cover, conceal”; eucalyptus ) + -sis -sis

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It was only a matter of time before the AI apocalypse theory went mainstream.

From The Wall Street Journal

The private credit lenders who issue loans to software firms aren’t sitting in a dark room waiting for the apocalypse.

From Barron's

“It doesn’t matter why a flight is canceled — it can be because of bad weather, security issues or a zombie apocalypse,” said Teresa Murray, consumer-watchdog director at the U.S.

From MarketWatch

Perhaps so, but the imaginary apocalypse made Easter Island famous.

From The Wall Street Journal

And that brings us back to the software apocalypse.

From Barron's