bible
Forms
- Plural
- bibles
Definitions
1.A comprehensive manual that describes something, or a publication with a loyal readership; a foundational text.
- This message resonated powerfully with the founders of Silicon Valley, including Steve Jobs, who described the [Whole Earth] Catalog as “one of the bibles of my generation.”
2.Alternative letter-case form of Bible (“a specific version, edition, translation, or copy of the Christian religious text”).
- The bible was used by Presley throughout his life until his death on 16 August 1977 and contains his handwritten notes, thoughts and annotations.
- If a person should happen to meet them when on these journeys, he should, if he has not a bible in his pocket, draw a circle round him on the ground, and in God's name forbid their approach.
3.Alternative letter-case form of Bible (“the analogous holy book of another religion”).
- The Buddhist bible tells this story of Buddha’s time of temptation when he was living as a hermit on the Mount of Snow.
4.Ellipsis of pitch bible.
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #2237
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Etymology
From Middle English bible, from Middle Latin biblia (“book”) (misinterpreted as a feminine from earlier Latin neuter plural biblia (“books”)), from Ancient Greek βιβλία (biblía, “books”), plural of βιβλίον (biblíon, “small book”), originally a diminutive of βίβλος (bíblos, “book”), from βύβλος (búblos, “papyrus”) (from the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos which exported this writing material).