Bible

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈbaɪbÉ™l/
• Rhymes: -aɪbÉ™l

Origin

English from the 14th century, from Middle Latin biblia ("book") (reinterpreted as a feminine from earlier Latin neuter plural biblia ("books")), from Ancient Greek βιβλία (biblia, "books"), plural of βιβλίον (biblion, "small book"), originally a diminutive of βίβλος (biblos, "book"), from βύβλος (bublos, "papyrus") (from the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos which exported this writing material).

Old English used biblioðece (from βιβλιοθήκη) for "the Scriptures".

Full definition of bible

Noun

1. A comprehensive manual that describes something. (e.g., handyman’s bible).
• 1995, Gary Wolf, "The Curse of Xanadu", Wired MagazineComputer Lib was written as a popular primer, but its most profound effect was on computer programmers, who needed little persuasion about the value of computers. Its tone – energetic, optimistic, inexhaustible, confused – matched theirs exactly. Having set out to appeal to the general public, Nelson managed to publish an insider's bible and highly intimate guide to hacker culture.
2. (nautical) A holystone.
3. Collection of sacred writing of the Christian religion

Related terms

• biblical