Bi|ble

Bi|ble «BY buhl», noun.

1. a) the book of sacred writings of the Christian religion; the Old Testament and the New Testament: »

One English book, and one only, where…perfect plainness of speech is allied with perfect nobleness; and that book is the Bible (Matthew Arnold).

b) a copy of the Scriptures. c) a particular edition or copy of the Scriptures: »

the Gutenberg Bible.

2. the form of the Old Testament accepted by the Jews.

3. the book of the sacred writings of any religion. The Qur'an is the Bible of the Muslims.

4. Figurative. any book accepted as an authority; bible.

╂[< Old French bible, learned borrowing from Medieval Latin biblia < Greek biblía books < biblíon (diminutive) < bíblos, býblos (originally) papyrus, probably because the books were written on papyrus brought from the ancient port of Byblos]

bi|ble «BY buhl», noun.

any book accepted as an authority: »

Gray's “Manual” was for many years the botanist's bible.