reveille

[ rev-uh-lee; British ri-val-ee ]

noun

1. a signal, as of a drum or bugle, sounded early in the morning to awaken military personnel and to alert them for assembly.
2. a signal to arise.

reveille

/ rɪˈvælɪ /

noun

1. a signal, given by a bugle, drum, etc, to awaken soldiers or sailors in the morning
2. the hour at which this takes place

Word History and Origins

Origin of reveille¹

1635–45; < French réveillez, plural imperative of réveiller to awaken, equivalent to r ( e ) - re- + éveiller, Old French esveillier ≪ Latin ēvigilāre to watch, be vigilant ( ē- e- ¹ + vigilāre to watch; vigil )

Word History and Origins

Origin of reveille¹

C17: from French réveillez! awake! from re- + Old French esveillier to be wakeful, ultimately from Latin vigilāre to keep watch; see vigil

Example Sentences

Some of Houston’s largest neighborhoods, such as Alief, Sharpstown, Central Southwest, South Belt/Ellington, Northside/Northline and Golfcrest/Bellfort/Reveille, have majority or near-majority Hispanic populations.

From Seattle Times

Then Reveille, one more hymn and a blessing, and Brown’s casket was carried back out of the church and driven away in a hearse.

From Washington Times

His jitters roused them like morning reveille.

From Washington Post

“Our days were filled with intensive training. Reveille was at 6 a.m., and then we were marched off to breakfast; the trip to the canteen and back was utilized for drill training. An order would ring out in the frosty air: ‘Sing!’”

From Literature

Luggage lined up in Dallas terminals like dwarf soldiers in a nightmare reveille.

From Washington Post