Septuaginta

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A Greek term referring to the ancient translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek, widely used in early Christianity
2. The name given to the Greek version of the Old Testament, traditionally believed to have been translated by seventy scholars
3. An ancient translation of the Scriptures from Hebrew into Greek, significant in Jewish and Christian traditions for its historical impact

Etymology: The term "septuaginta" traces its origins to Latin, where it simply means "seventy." This word is a straightforward numeral, formed from the Latin root "septuaginta," which itself derives from "septuāgintā," a compound built on "septem" (seven) and a form related to "ginta," a suffix connected to the tens. This construction reflects the way ancient Romans combined smaller numbers to create larger ones, much like modern English does with "twenty-one" or "thirty-five." Beyond its basic meaning as the number seventy, the word gained particular significance in the context of biblical scholarship and history. The Septuagint is the name given to the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, traditionally said to have been completed by seventy or seventy-two Jewish scholars in the 3rd century BCE. The Latin name "Septuaginta" was used to reference this translation because of the number of translators involved, highlighting the word's direct link to cultural and religious history. The use of "septuaginta" as a noun in English, especially in scholarly or historical texts, typically relates to this biblical translation rather than the number itself, which more commonly appears as "seventy." Its adoption into English came through Latin, retaining this specialized sense tied to the ancient world. This usage underscores how a simple number word can evolve to carry rich historical and cultural associations far beyond its original numeric value.

Synonyms: seventy