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rev·el

(rĕvəl)

intr.v. rev·eled, rev·el·ing, rev·els also rev·elled or rev·el·ling

1. To take great pleasure or delight: She reveled in her unaccustomed leisure.

2. To engage in uproarious festivities; make merry.

n. often revels

A boisterous festivity or celebration; merrymaking.

[Middle English revelen, to carouse, from Old French reveler, to rebel, carouse, from Latin rebellāre, to rebel; see REBEL.]

revel·er, revel·ler n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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