scriptura

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [skriːpˈtuː.ra], [skriːpˈtuː.raː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [skripˈtuː.ra], [skripˈtuː.ra]^[1]

Forms

scrīptūra f (genitive scrīptūrae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin scrībō (“to write”) + -ūra.^[2][1] De Vaan reconstructs ⟨scrībō⟩ as Proto-Italic *skreif-e/o- (“to carve”), perhaps Proto-Indo-European *skreybʰ- (“to carve”), with Oscan ⟨scriftas⟩ and Umbrian ⟨screhto⟩ “written” as cognates.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are Terence, of composing a literary work, and the Rhetorica ad Herennium, of writing.^[2] Köbler dates Terence 190–159 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant the forming of letters, writing; the written words of a text, as in Suetonius; expression in writing rather than speech, as in Cicero; and the composing of a literary work, as in Terence.^[2] It was also a tax, especially the due paid for grazing on public land, whose collector was the magister scrīptūrae.^[2]

In Christian Latin scrīptūra (sacra, dīvīna) was Holy Scripture, and Medieval Latin also used it for written law and a charter.^[5][6] English scripture (early 14th century) is from it, and it survives as French écriture, Italian scrittura and Spanish escritura.^[7][1]

Timeline

• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of literary composition.^[2][4]
• 86/82 BC – The Rhetorica ad Herennium uses it of writing.^[2][4]
• early 14th century – English scripture is recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. Writing, the forming of letters.^[2][8]
2. The text of a writing.^[2]
3. Expression in writing; literary composition.^[2]
4. A grazing tax on public land.^[2]
5. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Holy Scripture.^[5][6]
6. (Medieval Latin) Written law; a charter.^[6]

Word family

• scriptūrārius

Related words

• scrība
• scrībātus
• scrībō
• scrīnium
• scrīptilis
• scrīptiō
• scrīptiōnālis
• scrīptitō
• scrīptiuncula
• scrīptor
• scrīptum
• English scripture

Usage notes

Lewis & Short note that Cicero uses scrīptiō rather than scrīptūra for the act of writing.^[8]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
6. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press