Revel

Revel is a word with several related senses centered on enjoyment and festive activity. As a verb, revel means to take intense pleasure in a situation or to participate in lively and noisy festivities. It can describe exuberant behavior or joyous engagement, as in “reveling in the celebration” or “reveling in one’s success.” The verb is often intransitive, and it commonly takes the preposition in: to revel in something. As a noun, a revel denotes a lively, boisterous party or celebration; the noun form revelry is more common in modern use.

Etymology and history suggest that revel derives from Middle English revelen, via Old French reveler, meaning to celebrate or to make merry. The sense of festive merriment is well established in historical usage, though modern writing tends to favor more common terms such as revelry or celebration.

Usage notes provide practical guidance. Revel typically conveys exuberant or unrestrained enjoyment and can imply excess. In contemporary prose, it may feel archaic or formal, so authors often opt for revelry, celebrate, or to have a revel in place of the verb form. Related terms include reveler (a person who revels) and revelry (the act or state of boisterous merrymaking), as well as synonyms like carouse and fête.

In addition to its lexical use, Revel also appears as a proper noun in geographic names and surnames, reflecting its use as a toponym in various languages.