# scribe

/ˈskɹaɪb/ (US) · /skɹˈaɪb/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/scribe
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Usage notes

- Often used in historical or religious contexts; occasionally used humorously to describe a modern journalist or secretary.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.