ˈskripchə(r), -psh- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin scriptura, from Latin, act or product of writing, from scriptus (past participle of scribere to write) + -ura -ure — more at scribe
1.
a.
(1) usually capitalized : the books of the Old and New Testament or of either of them : bible
a collection … from the various parts of the Scripture — J.C.Swaim
— often used in plural
the demand for the Scriptures in a familiar tongue has found expression in a great activity of Bible translation — L.A.Weigle
(2) usually capitalized : a passage or text from the Bible
in their case was the Scripture fulfilled that the first shall be last and the last first — E.C.Colwell
b. : sacred writing of a religion
Buddhist scripture
c. : a body of writings considered as authoritative
his critical essays provide the scripture of the movement
or as classically embodying the essence of a way of life, movement, era, or nation — often used in plural
the American scriptures, the great books of the eighteen-fifties — Van Wyck Brooks
2. : something written : a writing or portion of a writing
the primitive man's awe for any scripture — George Santayana