The Greek adjective akatakalyptos means 'uncovered' or 'unveiled' — with the head or face not covered by a veil. It appears in 1 Corinthians 11:5, 13 in Paul's discussion of head coverings in worship, a complex cultural and theological passage about honor, authority, and the appropriate expression of glory in corporate worship.
Paul's use of akatakalyptos in 1 Corinthians 11 addresses the proper ordering of worship in Corinth, where cultural signals of honor and shame were being violated. A woman praying or prophesying with her head akatakalyptos (uncovered) dishonored her head — whether her husband or the symbolic order of creation Paul describes. The passage has generated centuries of theological discussion about cultural context and timeless principle. Whatever one's interpretation of the specific application, the theological point is clear: corporate worship should reflect God's order, honor appropriate relationships, and not confuse the honor due to God with the glory of His creatures. The unveiled face that matters most in Scripture is the believer's unveiled face before the Lord — 'beholding the glory of the Lord' and being transformed into his image (2 Corinthians 3:18).