apocalyptic

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἀποκαλυπτικός (apokaluptikós, “revelatory”), from ἀποκαλύπτειν (apokalúptein, “to reveal, uncover”), from ἀπό (apó, “off”) + καλύπτειν (kalúptein, “to cover”).

adj

1. Of or relating to an apocalypse:
   1. Of or relating to an apocalypse (a revelation), revelatory; prophetic.
      From beginning to end, and throughout, the Gospel makes such frequent use of apocalyptic motifs and the apocalyptic viewpoint that it deserves to be called the apocalyptic Gospel." 1985, Donald A. Hagner, Apocalyptic Motifs in the Gospel of Matthew: Continuity and Discontinuity, page 92
      This was because apocalyptic stories — from the Greek word apohalupsis which means "reveal" — uses the vocabulary of symbols and numbers and contains concealed messages that secular listeners cannot comprehend. 2002, Peter W. Smith, In the Day of the Lord: The Exciting and Promised Fulfillment, page 7
   2. Of or relating to an apocalypse (a disaster).
      For the first time since the show began, a sense of utter loneliness overwhelmed me, a bitter despair at the uselessness of individual effort in this gigantic tragedy of apocalyptic destruction. 1919, Arthur Hamilton Gibbs, Gun Fodder: The Diary of Four Years of War, Little, Brown, page 276
      In fact, interpreters commonly declare that Mark is an "apocalyptic" Gospel. When they read Jesus' long speech toward the end of the Gospel (chap. 13), they even detect a veritable "apocalypse": "Wars and rumors of wars, […]" 2001, Richard A. Horsley, Hearing the Whole Story: The Politics of Plot in Mark's Gospel, page 122
      These bookends house a wealth of apocalyptic stories. The Bible, like some street preacher with a sign, shouts, "The end is near!" 2010, Philip Leroy Culbertson, Elaine Mary Wainwright, Bible in Popular Culture, page 184
      […]and the pillar of smoke which had recently begun to dissipate, as many of the fires amidships had been smothered by the onrushing water, was replaced by a vast mushroom cloud of steam, smoke, flame, and debris as the magazines detonated. In the pall of this apocalyptic destruction, the U.S. fleet takes stock. 5 May 2021, Drachinifel, 42:53 from the start, in Battle of Samar - What if TF34 was there?, archived from the original on 2022-08-19
2. Portending a future apocalypse (disaster, devastation, or doom).
3. Eggcorn of apoplectic.
   He was apocalyptically furious.

noun

1. One who predicts apocalypse.