Meaning & use
the Apocrypha
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Meanings
proper nounproperreligion
A group of ancient Jewish writings that appear in some Christian Bibles but not in the Hebrew Bible or most Protestant editions.
Grammar: Starts with a capital letter and usually takes the: the Apocrypha is printed between the testaments.
Patterns
- the Apocrypha of something
The Book of Judith is part of the Apocrypha in many older Bibles.
Catholic and Orthodox traditions treat some books of the Apocrypha as scripture.
She studied the Apocrypha to learn how Jewish writers lived between the two testaments.
nounpluralformal
Writings or stories of doubtful origin that are not accepted as authentic, especially in a religious setting.
Grammar: Written apocrypha without a capital when used for any disputed texts.
Patterns
- apocrypha about something
Scholars sorted the medieval apocrypha from the genuine letters.
Collections of apocrypha around the saint circulated for centuries.
Common combinations
- books of the Apocrypha
- Several books of the Apocrypha were read aloud in church.
- in the Apocrypha
- The story of Susanna appears in the Apocrypha.
- New Testament apocrypha
- New Testament apocrypha include gospels not accepted into the Bible.
- study the Apocrypha
- Students study the Apocrypha to understand early Jewish thought.
Synonyms and how they differ
- deuterocanon
- The deuterocanon is the Catholic term for the same books, and it says they are a second canon rather than doubtful writings.
- pseudepigrapha
- Pseudepigrapha refers to texts falsely credited to famous authors, and is a different, though related, group of writings.
- disputed texts
- Disputed texts is a plain description that can apply to any field, while the Apocrypha names a particular religious collection.
Opposites
Word family
- apocryphal adjective
- of doubtful authenticity, as in an apocryphal story
- apocryphally adverb
- in a way that is probably not true
- canon noun
- the books officially accepted as scripture
- canonical adjective
- accepted as part of the official canon
Commonly confused: the Apocrypha or apocalypse?
the Apocrypha vs apocalypse
The apocalypse means the end of the world or a disastrous event, and has no link with the Apocrypha, which are ancient texts.
Practice
Which statement best describes the Apocrypha?
Choose one answer.
The Apocrypha are ancient Jewish writings found in some Christian Bibles but not all. The apocalypse, a different word, refers to the end of the world.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “the Apocrypha”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.