Bi"ble (?), n. [F. bible, L. biblia, pl., fr. Gr. , pl. of , dim. of , , book, prop. Egyptian papyrus.]
1.
A book.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
2.
The Book by way of eminence, -- that is, the book which is made up of the writings accepted by Christians as of divine origin and authority, whether such writings be in the original language, or translated; the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments; -- sometimes in a restricted sense, the Old Testament; as, King James's Bible; Douay Bible; Luther's Bible. Also, the book which is made up of writings similarly accepted by the Jews; as, a rabbinical Bible.
3.
A book containing the sacred writings belonging to any religion; as, the Koran is often called the Mohammedan Bible.
<-- 4. (Fig.)
A book with an authoritative exposition of some topic, respected by many experts on the field.
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Bible Society, an association for securing the multiplication and wide distribution of the Bible. -- Douay Bible. See Douay Bible. -- Geneva Bible. See under Geneva.
© Webster 1913.