1540s, as a medical term, from Middle French revulsion (16c.) or directly from Latin revulsionem (nominative revulsio) "a tearing off, act of pulling away," noun of action from past participle stem of revellere "to pull away," from re- "away" (see re-) + vellere "to tear, pull," from PIE *wel-no-, suffixed form of root *wel- (4) "to tear, pull" (see svelte). The meaning "sudden reaction of disgust" is first attested 1816.