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Origin and history of scriptural

scriptural(adj.)

1640s, "pertaining to or in accordance with Scripture," from Modern Latin scripturalis, from Latin scriptura (see scripture). "Less specific than Biblical, and more commonly without a capital." Bentham and Disraeli were among those in 19c. who attempted to use it for "of or pertaining to writing." Related: Scripturally; scripturality.

also from 1640s

Entries linking to scriptural

scripture(n.)

early 14c., "the sacred writings of the Bible, the books of the Old and New Testaments" (in this sense commonly with a capital); from Medieval Latin and Late Latin scriptura "the writings contained in the Bible, a passage from the Bible," in classical Latin "a writing, character, inscription," from scriptus, past participle of scribere "to write" (from PIE root *skribh- "to cut").

The word in Middle English also could mean "a writing, an act of writing, written characters" (mid-14c.), a sense now rare. The sense of "a passage from the Bible" is by late 14c. Figuratively, of something assuredly true, it is attested by 1570s. As an adjective, "relating to the Scriptures," by 1720.

Scripturalist for "one who adheres literally to the Scriptures and makes them the foundation of all philosophy" is perhaps by 1725, certainly by 1857; earlier in this sense was scripturarian (1670s), scripturist (1620s). Related: Scripturalism.

unscriptural(adj.)

"not warranted by authority of scripture," 1650s, from un- (1) "not" + scriptural (adj.). Earlier was unscripturely (1540s). Related: Unscripturally.

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