What does biblical mean?
"Biblical" is an English adjective meaning relating to the Bible — its texts, events, characters, languages, or teachings. In scholarly contexts it appears in phrases like biblical studies, biblical archaeology, and biblical criticism, denoting academic work grounded in the scriptures of Judaism and Christianity. Beyond this literal sense, the word has developed a vivid figurative use: anything extraordinarily large, devastating, or dramatic may be described as "of biblical proportions," evoking the floods, plagues, famines, and other cataclysms narrated in scripture. Journalists frequently reach for this figurative sense when reporting on natural disasters, pestilences, or storms. The word carries connotations that range from reverent and scholarly to grandly hyperbolic, depending on context. It derives ultimately from Greek biblos and biblia, terms for books or scrolls that also gave rise to the noun Bible itself. Because it refers so directly to a foundational text of Western civilization, biblical remains one of the most recognizable adjectives in English, useful both for precise academic description and for emphatic, memorable exaggeration.
Of, relating to, or contained in the Bible.
"He cited a biblical passage to support his argument."
Always capitalized in older texts; modern style guides generally accept lowercase.
(Figurative) Of enormous or dramatic scale, reminiscent of events described in the Bible.
"A drought of biblical proportions gripped the region."
Common in journalism; somewhat hyperbolic in formal register.
When journalists describe a flood or plague as 'biblical,' they're reaching for the same word scholars use for ancient manuscripts — one adjective spans both holy texts and headline disasters.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of biblical
"Biblical" entered English in the early 19th century, formed from the noun "Bible" combined with the adjectival suffix "-al." The word Bible traces back through Latin biblia to Greek biblia, meaning 'books,' the plural of biblion ('book' or 'scroll'), which derives from biblos, the term for the papyrus used in ancient bookmaking. Related words sharing the same Greek root include bibliography, bibliophile, and bibliotheca, all connected to the idea of books or collected writings.
Related word forms
How biblical is actually used
Standard in both British and American English; always written with a capital B when referring directly to the Bible. The figurative sense ('biblical proportions') is common in journalism and informal speech but is considered somewhat hyperbolic in formal writing. Capitalization varies: 'biblical' with lowercase b is standard in most modern style guides, though some religious publications capitalize it.
Easily confused with biblical
Scriptural specifically means relating to scripture or sacred writing in general, while biblical relates strictly to the Christian Bible.