Revel
/ˈrɛv.əl/noun
To engage in lively, noisy, and often unrestrained celebration or enjoyment.
Did you know?Revel is historically linked to Old French reveler, meaning “to rebel” or “make merry,” showing how celebration and defiance once shared the same linguistic spark.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wel-
“to turn, roll, or be in motion”
Latin
Latin
revolvere
“to roll back, turn over, return”
Late Latin
Latin
rebellare
“to wage war again, rebel”
Old French
Old French
reveler
“to rebel, rise up, make merry”
Middle English
English
revelen
“to make merry, feast noisily”
Modern English
English
revel
“to enjoy oneself in noisy celebration”