Scripturae

Scripturae is a Latin noun meaning writings or scriptures. In religious contexts it is commonly used to refer to sacred writings revered by a tradition, especially the Biblical canon in Christian usage.

Etymology and grammar: Scriptura comes from Latin scriptura, meaning “a writing,” from the verb scribere “to write.” Scripturae is the feminine form and, depending on the grammatical case, can be the nominative plural “the writings” or the genitive singular “of writing.” In phrases, it is often encountered in the plural as “Sacrae Scripturae,” meaning “the Sacred Scriptures.”

Usage in Christian Latin: The phrase Sacrae Scripturae—often translated as “the Sacred Scriptures”—is a common way to designate the Bible or canon in Catholic, Orthodox, and many Protestant Latin writings. The term can encompass both the Old and New Testaments, and in some contexts may refer to a tradition’s accepted sacred writings beyond the canonical books. The expression contrasts with later slogans such as sola Scriptura, which emphasizes scripture alone.

Modern usage: Today, scripturae appears primarily in scholarly, liturgical, and ecclesiastical Latin contexts. In English-language scholarship it is typically rendered as “the Scriptures” or “the Sacred Scriptures.” It is used in catalogues, theological treatises, and glossaries to denote authoritative religious texts within a tradition.