# reveal

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɹɪˈviːl/ · frequency rank #3,450

## Definitions
1. The outer side of a window or door frame.
2. A revelation; an uncovering of what was hidden in the scene or story.

## Etymology
From Middle English revēlen, from Old French reveler, from Latin revēlāre (“to reveal, uncover”), from re- (“back, again”) + vēlāre (“to cover”), from vēlum (“a cloth, covering, curtain, veil, awning, sail”) (whence also English veil, English unveil, English voile, Russian вуаль (vualʹ), Russian завуали́ровать (zavualírovatʹ, “to veil”) (compare typologically)).
Also compare typologically English uncloak, dismantle, divest, invest, unmask, Russian разобла́чать (razobláčatʹ) (akin to облаче́ние (oblačénije), срыва́ть покро́вы (sryvátʹ pokróvy) (покро́в (pokróv, “cover, covering”)).

## Easily confused with
- **rival** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reveal-vs-rival)
- **revel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reveal-vs-revel)
- **revert** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reveal-vs-revert)
- **revere** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reveal-vs-revere)
- **reverb** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reveal-vs-reverb)
- **revival** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reveal-vs-revival)
- **revealed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reveal-vs-revealed)
- **reversal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reveal-vs-reversal)
- **real** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/real-vs-reveal)
- **reel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reel-vs-reveal)
- **rebel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rebel-vs-reveal)
- **renal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/renal-vs-reveal)
- **regal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/regal-vs-reveal)
- **repel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/repel-vs-reveal)
- **ravel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ravel-vs-reveal)
- **repeat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/repeat-vs-reveal)
- **rental** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rental-vs-reveal)
- **repeal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/repeal-vs-reveal)
- **reread** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reread-vs-reveal)
- **resell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/resell-vs-reveal)

## Common misspellings (8)
`erveal`, `reeval`, `revael`, `reveall`, `revela`, `revveal`, `rreveal`, `rveeal`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/reveal