Apocalypse (Greek: -translit. apoca'lipsis, meaning literally: the lifting of the veil), is a term applied to the disclosure to certain privileged persons of something hidden from the majority of humankind. Today the term is often used to mean "End of planet Earth", which maybe a shortening of the phrase apokalupsis eschaton which literally means "revelation at the end of the aeon, or age".Another provided definition is:Apocalypse apoc·a·lypse Pronunciation: ?-?pä-k?-?lips Etymology: Middle English, revelation, Revelation, from Anglo-French apocalipse, from Late Latin apocalypsis, from Greek apokalypsis, from apokalyptein to uncover, from apo- + kalyptein to cover. Date:13th century.1: a) one of the Jewish and Christian writings of B.C. 200 to A.D. 150 marked by pseudonymity, symbolic imagery, and the expectation of an imminent cosmic cataclysm in which God destroys the ruling powers of evil and raises the righteous to life in a messianic kingdom; b) capitalized : the Book of Revel
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalypse