Words with prefix apo-

From etymonline, the two following words seem to have the same etymology:

apocalypse: apo- "from" (see apo-) + kalyptein "to cover, conceal" (see Calypso).

apocryphal: apo- "away" (see apo-) + kryptein "to hide" (see crypt).

But the two seem to have opposite meanings.apocalypse means revelation and uncovering, while apocryphal means spurious.

How shall I understand them?

Solution 1:

Apocalypse means in fact "put away the cover", that is "removing the cover", and then things will be revealed (cf "book of Revelations").

Apocryphal means "hidden away", because they are not to be read. In fact, apocryphal Gospels would be extremely dangerous for Christian believers : the one from St-James mentions explicitly that Jesus had brothers and sisters (and not in a symbolic meaning) and married St-Magdalena ; the one by St-Peter, yes, himself, does not mention the Resurrection, etc..

The word does not mean by itself "spurious", but if it was impossible to deny their existence - they were too well known, at least you could deny their authenticity and forbid their reading.

Apogee means "away from earth" and applied initially to the moon.

Apotheosis means "put away to rejoin the gods".

ETC.

You see that "apo" is always used in the consistent meaning of "away, off"

Solution 2:

Interesting question.

The explanation that I have worked out (and that is alluded to in your question itself) is as follows:

apocryphal derives from the noun crypt meaning vault. Short of an explosion you cannot do away with a vault. So apo-cryphal here can only mean away/off in the crypt.

apocalypse on the other hand derives from the Greek action verb kalyptein meaning conceal - thus meaning away/off/un conceal or reveal.

In other words apo- modifies a physical object in the first and an action verb in the second.