Old Testament

American  

[ohld tes-tuh-muhnt] / ˈoʊld ˈtɛs tə mənt /

noun

Chiefly Christianity.

1. 1. the first of the two main divisions of the Christian Bible, including the Mosaic Law, the history of the people of Israel, the wisdom writings, and the major and minor prophets: in the Vulgate translation all but two books of the Apocrypha are included in the Old Testament.

   2. this part of the Bible thought of as the complete Scripture of the Jews.

2. the covenant between God and Israel on Mount Sinai, seen as the basis of the Jewish religion.

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Old Testament British  

noun

1. the collection of books comprising the sacred Scriptures of the Hebrews and essentially recording the history of the Hebrew people as the chosen people of God; the first part of the Christian Bible

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Old Testament Cultural  

1. The first part of the Bible (see also Bible), so called by Christians (see also Christian), who believe that its laws and prophecies are fulfilled in the person of Jesus, whose mission is described in the New Testament.

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Etymology

Origin of Old Testament

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English; translation of Late Latin Vetus Testamentum, translation of Greek Palaià Diathḗkē; cf. paleo- ( def. ), dia- ( def. ), tick ³ ( def. )

Example Sentences

"Let me say this plainly: this is not a golden calf," he said later that night on X, referring to the Old Testament idol that famously made Moses irate after he received the Commandments.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

God’s promise to Noah after the Flood, an Old Testament blessing, joins with hints of the georgic and pastoral poetry of Horace and Virgil.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

An upcoming Tyler Perry project for Netflix, “Ruth & Boaz,” transplants an Old Testament love story into the 21st century.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

"This is simultaneously one of publishing's greatest failures and triumphs," says Nathan MacDonald, Professor of the Interpretation of the Old Testament at the University of Cambridge.

From Science Daily • Nov. 30, 2025

But unlike the early Christians, who had freed themselves to interpret parts of the Old Testament as metaphor, Maimonides was unwilling to Hellenize his religion completely.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife