Old Testament
proper noun, adjective
Forms the Old Testament
- proper noun (religion, chiefly Christianity) The first major part of the Christian Bible, covering events before the coming of Christ, corresponding roughly to the Jewish Tanakh. Usually subdivided into the categories of law, history, poetry (or wisdom books), and prophecy. “The Old Testament says that eating shellfish is a sin.”
- adjective (often humorous) Reminiscent of the content of the Old Testament, or of the behavior of God in it; especially dramatic, violent or vengeful.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English Olde Testament, calqued from Latin Vetus Testāmentum. Old refers to ancientness, not to obsolescence. Equivalent to a retronym, by comparison with the New Testament.
Sources: Wiktionary — from the Wiktionary entry “Old Testament”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details