Also called Holy Scripture. Also called Holy Scriptures. Often Scriptures. the sacred writings of the Old or New Testaments or both together.
(often lowercase) any writing or book, especially when of a sacred or religious nature.
(sometimes lowercase) a particular passage from the Bible; text.
Also called: Holy Scripture. Holy Writ. the Scriptures. Christianity the Old and New Testaments
any book or body of writings, esp when regarded as sacred by a particular religious group
1250–1300; Middle English < Latin scrīptūra writing. See script, -ure
Scripture is a sacred religious text. It usually refers to the Christian Bible, but it can refer to other religions' texts as well. The noun scripture is most often used for specifically Christian writing, and it's often capitalized. However, it can refer to any religion's sacred writing: "Hindu scripture is written on the walls of the temple." In the 1300s, scripture sometimes meant simply "writing," though it more often referred to sacred words, especially in the Christian Bible. Its root word is the Latin script, or "writing."
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Margaret Bendelow, an English Catholic convert studying theology in the Eternal City in 1958, is equally enraptured—by the richness of the food, the glory of the art and the splendor of ancient Scripture.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
Never mind the miracles — according to Scripture, Sarah lived to 127 years old, while Abraham was kicking up dust until he was 175.
From Salon ● Mar. 29, 2026
Rosenzweig reminded readers that miqra, the Hebrew term for Scripture, means “that which is called” or “that which is read aloud.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 6, 2026
The judgment of Solomon, found in Chapter 3 of 1 Kings, is one of the most familiar stories in the Hebrew Scripture.
From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2025
Ethel sat in the rocking chair, smiled, and looked through the Scripture, trying to find an appropriate section.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
The lesson of the scripture is that everyone can be redeemed, can change, no matter what mistakes they have made.
From Slate ● Jul. 10, 2026
Sikhs regard it not only as their holy scripture but also as their eternal living Guru.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
One could read the entire scripture — both the Old and New Testaments — as an allegory for humanity’s penchant for payback, and God’s many warnings against it.
From Salon ● May 19, 2026
Mary Kay studied it all like scripture and would later adapt Stanley’s methods and culture for her own business.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
It would seem that the Egyptians had simply adapted an existing scripture to suit their needs.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
