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‖ Tetragrammaton|ˌtɛtrəˈgræmətɒn|
Pl. -ata.
[a. Gr. (τὸ) τετραγράµµατον (Philo 2. 152), ‘the (word) of four letters’, neut. of τετραγράµµατος, adj. f. τετρα- four + γραµµα(τ- letter.]
A word of four letters; spec. the Hebrew word written yhwh or jhvh (vocalized as yahweh, jahveh, or jehovah, q.v.); often substituted for that word (regarded as ineffable), and treated as a mysterious symbol of the name of God; sometimes used as a title of the Deity (see quot. 1689).
a1400–50Alexander 1592 Þe grettest of all gods names, Þis title, Tetragramaton. 1577tr. Bullinger's Decades (1592) 608 Among all the names of God that is the most excellent, which they call Tetragrammaton, that is (if we may so say), the fower lettered name. 1606N. Baxter Sir P. Sidney's Ourania C j b, Some call him mightie Tetragrammaton Of letters fower in composition. 1649Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. i. Ad Sect. v. 61 The Tetragrammaton or adoreable Mystery of the Patriarchs. 1689T. Plunket Char. Gd. Commander 44 But the tremenduos Tetragrammaton Will not, not always be a looker on. 1768Tucker Lt. Nat. (1834) I. 463 The Quaternion is the holy Tetragrammaton, the same awful name variously pronounced among the sons of men: whether Jeva, Isis, Jove, θεος, Zeus, or Deus; or..Tien, Alla, Dios, Idio, Dieu, or Lord; for these are all Tetragrammata. 1891T. K. Cheyne Orig. Ps. vi. 300 The earliest Greek copies reproduced the Tetragrammaton.
b. gen. with a and pl. A word of four letters used as a symbol.
1656H. More Enthus. Tri. (1712) 50 In a Tetragrammaton there are five Parts, four Letters, and the Tittle Jod, from which come Nephesh, Ruach, Neschamah, Chajah, and Jachidah, five Persons of the Soul. 1665Wither Lord's Prayer 17 Our English tongue as well as the Hebrew hath a Tetragrammaton, whereby God may be named; to wit, Good.
†c. fig. An emblem or symbol of something sacred. Obs. rare.
1601A. Copley Answ. Let. Jesuit. Gent. 79 They are so passing vain-glorious a Societie, that call ye it the verie Tetragrammaton of the Catholicke church.
†d. as adj. Consisting of four letters. Obs.
a1610Babington Exp. Cath. Faith ii. (1637) 195 O name that cannot bee expressed! O name truly tetragrammaton! 1614Selden Titles Hon. 50 The Tetragrammaton name of the Almightie.
Hence † tetragraˈmmatical a., consisting of four letters; pertaining to the or a tetragrammaton; tetragrammaˈtonic a. [irreg. for -atic], of or pertaining to the tetragrammaton.
1759J. Yeomans Abecedarian (title-p.), A Discourse on the Word, or A-Tau, tetragrammatical. 1895Funk's Standard Dict., Tetragrammatonic. |