bible society: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1formal, neutral, religious, institutional
Quick answer
What does “bible society” mean?
A Christian organization whose main purpose is to translate, publish, and distribute the Bible.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A Christian organization whose main purpose is to translate, publish, and distribute the Bible.
Any organization or society dedicated to promoting the dissemination and study of the Bible; more broadly, it can refer to any authoritative and comprehensive collection of texts on a specific subject (e.g., 'the bibles of computer programming'). In its primary sense, it's a proper noun for specific organizations like the British and Foreign Bible Society or the American Bible Society.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In both regions, the term predominantly refers to specific national organizations (e.g., British and Foreign Bible Society, American Bible Society). The generic, metaphorical use is rare in both but slightly more common in US journalistic contexts.
Connotations
Strongly associated with Christian missionary work, literacy programs, and charitable distribution. Connotations are positive for religious adherents, neutral to positive in secular contexts referring to charitable work, potentially negative if used ironically in the metaphorical sense to imply dogmatism.
Frequency
Low frequency in general discourse. Higher frequency in religious, historical, and philanthropic contexts. The metaphorical use is very low frequency.
Grammar
How to Use “bible society” in a Sentence
[The] Bible Society + [verb: distributes, publishes, translates]donate to + [the] Bible Societya volunteer for + [the] Bible Societythe + [National] + Bible Society + [of + Country]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bible society” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Not applicable as a verb.
American English
- Not applicable as a verb.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
American English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The Bible Society movement began in the 19th century.
- It was a classic Bible Society approach.
American English
- He has a Bible Society mindset about those manuals.
- The project followed Bible Society principles of distribution.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. May appear in CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) reports mentioning partnerships with charities.
Academic
Common in historical, theological, and missiological studies discussing translation movements and colonial history.
Everyday
Used by members of religious communities or when referring to a known local charitable organization.
Technical
Used in religious studies, philology (textual criticism of the Bible), and nonprofit management contexts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “bible society”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “bible society”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bible society”
- Using lower case ('bible society') when referring to a specific, named organization (requires capitals).
- Using it as a common noun for any religious study group (too broad).
- Misspelling as 'Bibal Society'.
- Confusing with 'church' or 'denomination'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
When referring to a specific, named organization (e.g., the American Bible Society), it is always capitalized as a proper noun. In the rare, extended metaphorical use (e.g., 'a bible society for gardeners'), it is not capitalized.
The core activities are translation of the Bible into new languages, publication, and distribution (often at low cost or for free), and promotion of biblical literacy.
Yes, but it is highly figurative and informal. It describes a group devoted to the authoritative texts of any field (e.g., 'a bible society for fantasy lore'). This usage is not common.
A church is a community for worship and religious practice. A Bible Society is a specialized organization focused on the text of the Bible itself—its translation, production, and distribution. Many churches support or partner with Bible Societies.
A Christian organization whose main purpose is to translate, publish, and distribute the Bible.
Bible society is usually formal, neutral, religious, institutional in register.
Bible society: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbaɪbəl səˌsaɪəti/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbaɪbəl səˌsaɪəti/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Not applicable; term is institutional. Metaphorical: 'They're like a bible society for vintage car manuals.'”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'BIBLE' = the book, 'SOCIETY' = a group. A group dedicated to the book.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOURCE OF AUTHORITY IS A BIBLE; DISSEMINATING KNOWLEDGE IS DISTRIBUTING SCRIPTURE. (e.g., 'That forum is a bible society for coding best practices.')
Practice
Quiz
In a metaphorical, informal sense, what might 'a bible society' refer to?