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.

---

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

---

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.

---

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

Hell, most Old Testament patriarchs aren’t as demanding of loyalty and filial supplication as Rupert Murdoch, save for God himself.

From Salon • Mar. 14, 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

Old Testament passages speak of the afterlife as a place in which movement in metaphysical position is possible.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 6, 2025

According to the Rev Canon Jonathan Baker, the vicar of Beverley Minster, the concept goes back to the Old Testament.

From BBC • Dec. 25, 2024

Eventually you get to Paul writing letters to the Ephesians and it loses the plot, but the Old Testament and the Gospels?

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah