Reveille

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɹɪˈvæ.li/

Definitions

1. A bugle call that serves to awaken individuals from sleep in military contexts An early morning signal that initiates the daily schedule for soldiers and troops A formal alert recognized in military settings that indicates the start of daytime responsibilities
2. A bugle or trumpet call used by armed forces to wake personnel at dawn
3. A morning musical signal in the military that marks the beginning of the day’s duties

Etymology: The bugle call that jolts soldiers out of bed takes its name from a plain French command. "Réveillez" is the imperative of "réveiller," meaning "to wake," so the call was in effect shouting "wake up!" at the troops. French "réveiller" is built from "re-" and an old verb "eveiller," meaning to rouse from sleep, so the word carries the idea of waking a second time. The imperative is the key to the story: English borrowed the command itself, not a descriptive noun. The call's purpose, to rouse a camp at dawn and set the daily routine in motion, is exactly what the word says. Over time the spelling settled into the familiar "reveille," while the sense stayed fixed on the bugle's wake-up signal and the morning duties that followed it.

Synonyms: wake-up call, signals, alarm, alert