Deuterocanonical
/ˌdjuːtəroʊkəˈnænɪkəl/noun
Referring to books of the Bible considered canonical by some Christian traditions but not by others.
Did you know?The term 'Deuterocanonical' comes from the Greek for 'second' and 'rule', highlighting how these texts were regarded as secondary by certain religious groups.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
deuteros
“meaning 'second', often used to denote secondary importance.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
kanōn
“meaning 'rule' or 'measuring stick', referring to a standard of texts.”
1st Century CE
Greek
deuterokanōn
“denoting texts accepted as canon by some Christians, but not universally.”
16th Century
Latin
deuterocanonici
“Latin adoption of the term to differentiate these texts in biblical scholarship.”
Modern English
English
deuterocanonical
“used in modern biblical studies to classify these specific texts.”