ENGLISH
REFERENCE

scripture

n. C / U
C1 Advanced US //ˈskɹɪptʃɝ// UK //skɹˈɪptʃɐ// scrip·ture Informal

n. the holy books or writings of a religion. You use this word when talking about the Bible, the Quran, or other sacred texts.

n. the sacred writings of a religion, regarded as authoritative or divinely inspired. Often capitalised when referring to a specific religious text, such as the Christian Bible.


SIMPLE

The priest read a short passage from Scripture.

CONTEXTUAL

Scholars spend years studying ancient Scripture to understand the historical context of religious laws.

COMPLEX

The theologian argued that while the core tenets of the Scripture remain unchanged, their application must evolve to address the ethical dilemmas of the modern age.

Synonyms
Origin

From Latin scrīptūra (“a writing, scripture”), from scrīptum, the supine of scrībō (“I write”).

Usage

Often used as an uncountable noun when referring to the collective body of holy text; used as a countable noun when referring to specific passages or different religious traditions.

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