bible

English Online Dictionary. What means bible‎? What does bible mean?

English

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).

Old English used biblioþēce (from βιβλιοθήκη) and ġewritu (> English writs) for "the Scriptures".

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ˈbaɪbəl/
• Rhymes: -aɪbəl

Noun

bible (plural bibles)

1. Alternative letter-case form of Bible (“a specific version, edition, translation, or copy of the Christian religious text”)
2. Alternative letter-case form of Bible (“the analogous holy book of another religion”)
3. (by extension) A comprehensive manual that describes something, or a publication with a loyal readership.
4. (law) A binder containing copies of the most important documents for a particular matter.

5. (nautical) Synonym of holystone: a piece of sandstone used for scouring wooden decks on ships.
6. (at certain US universities) A compilation of problems and solutions from previous years of a given course, used by some students to cheat on tests or assignments.
7. Omasum, the third compartment of the stomach of ruminants

   Synonyms: psalterium, omasum, manyplies, fardel

8. (locksmithing) The upper part of a pin-tumbler lock, containing the driver pins and springs.

Derived terms

Related terms

• biblical

Translations

Czech

Alternative forms

• Bible

Etymology

Inherited from Old Czech biblí, from Latin biblia.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbɪblɛ]

Proper noun

bible f (related adjective biblický)

1. Bible

Declension

Derived terms

Further reading

• “bible”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “bible”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
• “bible”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech)

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bibl/

Noun

bible f (plural bibles)

1. bible (comprehensive text)

Derived terms

• biblique
• bibliste

Further reading

• “bible”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Middle English

Alternative forms

• Bible, bibel, bibile, byble, bybill, bibelle, bybulle, bibill

Etymology

From Old French bible, from Medieval Latin biblia, from biblia), from Ancient Greek βιβλία (biblía).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbiːbəl/

Proper noun

bible

1. The Bible (Christian holy book); a copy of the Bible.
2. (rare) The Koran (Muslim holy book).

Descendants

• English: Bible
• Scots: Bible

References

• “bīble, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-06-27.

Noun

bible

1. Any book that is of extensive length.
2. A compendium, collection, or storehouse of books.

Descendants

• English: bible
• Scots: bible

References

• “bīble, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-06-27.