adj
Common
biblical
BIHB-lih-kuhl
Biblical (adj) means relating to, or found in, the Bible. Example: “The film retells a biblical tale of a great flood.”
adj
1
Relating to, or found in, the Bible.
"The film retells a biblical tale of a great flood."
"The speaker quoted a biblical verse about kindness."
"She claws it away with her fingers. Falls heavily on her shoulders. Accepts the congratulations of her teammates, who look like they have just seen a biblical miracle."
— Jonathan Liew, Ann-Katrin Berger follows up biblical miracle with penalty heroics for Germany (2025)
"The sermon focused on a biblical story about forgiveness."
"Tithing is both a quranic and biblical virtue."
2
Extremely large or severe, beyond ordinary scale, as if drawn from a Bible story.
"The flooding this year was biblical in proportion."
How to use biblical
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishConnected to the Bible, or used loosely to mean "epic" or "of enormous scale."
Common pairings
biblical proportions
biblical times
biblical scholar
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more biblical
- Superlative
- most biblical
Fill the gap
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The film retells a _____ tale of a great flood.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin biblicus, "of the Bible," plus the adjective ending "-al."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
nonbiblical
unbiblical
Related words
Rhymes for biblical
See all rhymes for biblical →Frequently asked questions
What does “biblical” mean?
The word “biblical” means relating to, or found in, the Bible. In plain terms, connected to the Bible, or used loosely to mean "epic" or "of enormous scale.".
How do you pronounce “biblical”?
“Biblical” is pronounced BIHB-lih-kuhl (/ˈbɪblɪkəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “biblical” in a sentence?
Here is “biblical” used in a sentence: “The sermon focused on a biblical story about forgiveness.”
What is another word for “biblical”?
Words with a similar meaning to “biblical” include biblic.
What is the opposite of “biblical”?
The opposite of “biblical” — its antonyms — are nonbiblical and unbiblical.
What part of speech is “biblical”?
“Biblical” is an adjective.
Where does the word “biblical” come from?
The word “biblical” comes from Medieval Latin. From Medieval Latin biblicus, "of the Bible," plus the adjective ending "-al.".
Is “biblical” a common word?
“Biblical” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between 'biblical' and 'scriptural'?
Biblical relates specifically to the Bible, while scriptural can refer to any sacred scripture or holy text. In Christian contexts the two often overlap, but scriptural is the broader term.
Is 'biblical' capitalized like 'Bible'?
No. Although Bible is capitalized as the name of the book, the adjective biblical is written in lowercase, as in 'a biblical scholar.'
When is 'biblical' used informally?
Beyond religious topics, biblical is used informally for emphasis to mean huge or catastrophic, as in 'biblical rainfall.' This exaggerated sense is common in journalism and everyday speech.
