Bible
/ˈbaɪ.bəl/noun
The sacred scripture of Christianity, comprising the Old and New Testaments.
Did you know?The term 'Bible' derives from the Greek word 'biblion', which originally referred to papyrus scrolls, closely linked to the ancient city of Byblos, a major center of writing and trade for manuscripts.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
biblion
“a small book or scroll, derived from 'biblion', a diminutive form of 'biblos', meaning papyrus or book.”
1st Century
Greek
biblia
“the plural form indicating 'the books', as the sacred texts began to be collected.”
Latin
Latin
biblia
“the term adopted in Latin referring to the sacred scriptures.”
Middle English
Middle English
bible
“the book, referring specifically to the Christian texts as the authoritative scripture.”
Modern English
English
Bible
“the accepted canon of Christian scripture, signifying the holy texts revered by Christians.”
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