Word
scribe
US/ˈskɹaɪb/
UK/skɹˈaɪb/
Definition
n. a person whose job was to copy documents by hand before printing was invented. You might also use this word today to describe a writer or someone who takes notes for others.
n. a person who served as a professional copyist of manuscripts before the advent of printing. In modern contexts, refers to a writer or a person who records formal proceedings.
Examples
“The ancient scribe carefully copied the royal decree onto parchment.”
“Historians rely on the meticulous records kept by the royal scribe to understand the kingdom's early laws.”
“In the era before the printing press, the scribe was the essential gatekeeper of knowledge, ensuring that religious and legal texts were preserved for future generations through painstaking manual labor.”
Examples
simple
“The ancient scribe carefully copied the royal decree onto parchment.”
contextual
“Historians rely on the meticulous records kept by the royal scribe to understand the kingdom's early laws.”
complex
“In the era before the printing press, the scribe was the essential gatekeeper of knowledge, ensuring that religious and legal texts were preserved for future generations through painstaking manual labor.”
Usage
Often used in historical or religious contexts; occasionally used humorously to describe a modern journalist or secretary.
Real-World Examples
“GPs and hospital doctors in England are already using 27 different AI scribes.” “At some point, scribes perhaps recorded these established versions of the stories.” Scan code
englishreference.com/q/scribe