bible

A2 Topic:Religion & Belief

US /ˈbaɪbəl/ UK /ˈbaɪbəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #3029

Meanings

1

noun
the sacred scriptures of Christianity, comprising the Old and New Testaments

The family kept a Bible beside the bed and read from it each evening.
2

noun
a particular copy, edition, or translation of the Christian scriptures

Her old bible contained handwritten notes in every margin.
3

noun
a comprehensive and highly authoritative book about a subject

The repair manual became his bible for restoring the vintage engine.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the sacred scriptures of... ScriptureHoly Bible

2 noun · a particular copy, edition,... scripture volume

3 noun · a comprehensive and highly... authoritative guidehandbook

Word family

Forms bibles

Derived forms biblicalbiblically

Related forms scripture Testament canon

Common collocations

polyglot bible Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle English bible and Medieval Latin biblia, reinterpreted as a singular from Greek biblia, 'books,' the plural of biblion, 'small book.' Biblion ultimately referred to papyrus associated with the Phoenician city of Byblos. The figurative sense developed from the Christian Bible's status as an authoritative text.

Topics

Religion & Belief

External links

# bible

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈbaɪbəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈbaɪbəl/
**Frequency rank:** 3029

## Meanings
1. the sacred scriptures of Christianity, comprising the Old and New Testaments
2. a particular copy, edition, or translation of the Christian scriptures
3. a comprehensive and highly authoritative book about a subject

## Examples
- The family kept a Bible beside the bed and read from it each evening.
- Her old bible contained handwritten notes in every margin.
- The repair manual became his bible for restoring the vintage engine.

## Synonyms
- Scripture
- Holy Bible
- authoritative guide
- handbook

## Derived Forms
- biblical
- biblically

## Related Forms
- scripture
- Testament
- canon

## Etymology
From Middle English bible and Medieval Latin biblia, reinterpreted as a singular from Greek biblia, 'books,' the plural of biblion, 'small book.' Biblion ultimately referred to papyrus associated with the Phoenician city of Byblos. The figurative sense developed from the Christian Bible's status as an authoritative text.

## Topics
- Religion & Belief

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