Bible
/ˈbaɪbəl/
noun
Origin
Ancient Greek
biblion — book or scroll
Overview
Meaning Now
- The sacred book of Christianity, comprising the Old and New Testaments.
- A collection of texts considered to be authoritative or fundamental in a specific field or subject.
Literal older meaning
books
Language path
Ancient Greek → Medieval Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
biblia
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
The word originates from the Phoenician city of Byblos (modern-day Jubayl in Lebanon), which was the primary port for the trade of papyrus. As papyrus became synonymous with writing, the Greek word 'biblion' came to mean 'book'.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek
byblos
“papyrus, paper, book”
Derived from the Phoenician city of Byblos, an exporter of papyrus.
- Ancient Greek
biblia
“plural of biblion (books)”
Used in the Septuagint to refer to the scriptures.
- Medieval Latin
biblia
“singular collective noun (the Bible)”
Plural form was reinterpreted as a singular feminine noun.
- Middle English
bible
“the scriptures”
Connections
Word parts
bibl-
root
book
-e
ending
suffix used in noun formation
Related across languages
French
bible
Spanish
biblia
bible
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Related to Bible
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.