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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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In Scripture, Gilead is a place of refuge; so is Marilynne Robinson’s rural 1950s town.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 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
They might hold a Bible study in a karaoke bar, taking questions over a meal, consulting Scripture on cellphones.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2025
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
Business now began: the day’s Collect was repeated, then certain texts of Scripture were said, and to these succeeded a protracted reading of chapters in the Bible, which lasted an hour.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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
A progressive Christian, Talarico often cites scripture, and especially words of Jesus that many conservatives pointedly ignore, to argue for values like compassion and empathy.
From Salon ● Jul. 1, 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
Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said some outlets accused Hegseth of mistaking Jackson’s Golden Globe-winning performance with actual scripture, and called that narrative “fake news.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2026
Sometimes they’d pull out their Bible and say, “This scripture spoke to me and maybe it will help you.”
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
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.
