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Old Testament

noun

: the first part of the Christian Bible containing the books of the Jewish canon of Scripture see Bible Table

Examples of Old Testament in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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For a man of his era—always a worrisome qualification—Dante seems remarkably free of prejudice against the Jewish people and religion, and there is a panoply of Old Testament figures in Paradise. Claudia Roth Pierpont, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025 My Esther is purposely the embodiment of the Queen Esther she is named for—the Esther of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025 But make no mistake — the God of this New York underworld is the same Old Testament–esque daddy of Breaking Bad who metes out every act of self-interest with some form of just deserts down the line. Andy Andersen, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025 But last week's newsletter, which was about the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and Western civilization, was in hindsight perhaps eerily relevant. Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Old Testament was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Old Testament.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Old%20Testament. Accessed 2 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

Old Testament

noun
: the first of the two chief divisions of the Christian Bible see bible

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