Revealings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of making something known or visible; the disclosures of previously hidden truths or information; moments when secrets or mysteries are brought to light for others to see or understand
2. The process of bringing to attention details that were not apparent before; instances where concealed knowledge is shared or uncovered; occasions when clarity is provided through the unveiling of hidden aspects
3. Actions or events that expose or disclose something that was obscured; revealing interactions that shed light on unknown factors; situations in which clarity emerges from previously undisclosed elements

Etymology: "Revealings" is simply the plural of "revealing," a noun formed from the verb "reveal" plus the suffix "-ing." The verb "reveal" came into English in the late 14th century, borrowed from Old French "reveler," which in turn came from Latin "revelare," literally "to draw back the veil." The prefix "re-" means "back," and "velare" means "to veil or cover," from "velum," a cloth or sail. That veiling image is the heart of the word. To reveal something is to pull back a covering so the thing beneath becomes visible. The same Latin root gives us "veil" itself, and "revelation" follows the same path, which is why the religious sense of "revelation" (divine truth made known) and the everyday sense (a surprising disclosure) sit so close together in English. The plural "revealings" is a comparatively recent and less common form. Its meaning follows from the noun "revealing," used since the 1500s to mean an act of disclosing something. Because "revealing" also means "tending to disclose" or "showing more than intended," the plural can slip between those senses depending on context.