holy scripture: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal, religious, academic
Quick answer
What does “holy scripture” mean?
The sacred writings of a religion, especially those considered to be divinely inspired and authoritative.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The sacred writings of a religion, especially those considered to be divinely inspired and authoritative.
Any text that is regarded with the highest reverence and authority within a particular system of belief or thought, sometimes used metaphorically.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or orthographic differences. In formal UK writing, it may be capitalised slightly more often (Holy Scripture).
Connotations
Identical connotations of sacredness and authority.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English due to higher prevalence of religious discourse in public life, but the term is standard in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “holy scripture” in a Sentence
consult (the) holy scripturerefer to (the) holy scriptureregard something as holy scripturebe derived from holy scriptureVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “holy scripture” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They sought to scripture their beliefs.
- The text was gradually scripture-d over centuries.
American English
- You can't just scripture your way out of this argument.
- The movement aimed to scripture its new doctrine.
adverb
British English
- The rule was applied scripturally.
- He argued scripturally for his position.
American English
- The group interprets the text very scripturally.
- She responded scripturally to the challenge.
adjective
British English
- The scriptural authority was unquestioned.
- He gave a scriptural reference.
American English
- Her argument was deeply scriptural.
- They followed a scriptural interpretation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Extremely rare. Might appear metaphorically: 'The founder's memo is treated as holy scripture here.'
Academic
Common in religious studies, theology, and comparative literature departments when discussing sacred texts.
Everyday
Used primarily by religious individuals in discussion of their faith.
Technical
Used in theology to refer specifically to texts considered divinely inspired and canonical.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “holy scripture”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “holy scripture”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “holy scripture”
- Using it as a plural countable noun incorrectly (e.g., 'holy scriptures' is acceptable, but 'a holy scripture' for the whole corpus is less common).
- Confusing 'scripture' with 'script'.
- Omitting the definite article 'the' when referring to a specific corpus.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not always. It is often capitalised when referring specifically to the Christian Bible or when used as a proper title (e.g., 'according to Holy Scripture'). In general references to sacred texts of any religion, it is often in lowercase.
Very little. 'Holy Scripture' is slightly more formal and emphatic on the sacred nature. 'Scripture' (often capitalised) is commonly used as a shorter synonym, especially within Christian contexts.
Yes, but only metaphorically. For example, 'For classicists, the works of Homer are like holy scripture.' This use implies supreme authority and reverence, not literal religious sanctity.
It can be both. Uncountable when referring to the collective body of sacred writings (e.g., 'Holy scripture teaches us...'). Countable when referring to individual texts or versions (e.g., 'the holy scriptures of Hinduism').
The sacred writings of a religion, especially those considered to be divinely inspired and authoritative.
Holy scripture is usually formal, religious, academic in register.
Holy scripture: in British English it is pronounced /ˌhəʊli ˈskrɪptʃə(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌhoʊli ˈskrɪptʃər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “chapter and verse (from holy scripture)”
- “the letter of the scripture”
- “scripture-fulfilling”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a HOLY book with a SCRIPT (writing) inside it. HOLY SCRIPT-ure.
Conceptual Metaphor
AUTHORITY IS A TEXT; TRUTH IS WRITTEN; GUIDANCE IS A MAP (from scripture).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT typically a synonym for 'holy scripture' in a religious context?