describing very serious damage and destruction in past or future events 描述（历史）大动乱的；预示（未来）大灾变的 an apocalyptic view of history 对历史极其悲观的观点 apocalyptic warnings of the end of society 对社会末日骇人听闻的预警
like the end of the world 似末世的；像世界末日的 an apocalyptic scene 末世景象
Word Originearly 17th cent. (as a noun denoting St. John, the writer of the Apocalypse, the book of Revelation in the Bible): from Greek apokaluptikos, from apokaluptein ‘uncover’, from apo- ‘un-’ + kaluptein ‘to cover’.