Etymo

bibliography

A list of writings or the study of books as objects.

Played on · Day 16 · word 3 of 5

Writing about books.

How bibliography reached English

oldest first

Simplified path. The puzzle showed the main steps; the full route is being checked.

Greek

  • biblion‘book’
  • -graphia‘writing’

combined

  1. English

    bibliography

    ‘A list of writings or the study of books as objects.’

The story of bibliography

The Greek background of bibliography concerned copying books. Its components combine a book with writing. The later English uses include lists of works and the study of books, so a scholarly reference list retains an older book-making connection.

This view explains the components. They are pieces of one construction, not consecutive borrowing stages.

Sources

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