A professional copyist; a scribe: "Gutenberg's invention of movable type . . . took words out of the sole possession of monastic scriveners and placed them before the wider public"(Irvin Molotsky).
A notary.
[Middle English scriveiner, from scrivein, from Old French escrivein, from Vulgar Latin *scrība, scrībān-, from Latin scrība, scribe; see scribe.]
"professional penman, copyist," c.1375, from scrivein "scribe" (c.1300), from O.Fr. escrivain "a writer, notary, clerk," from V.L. *scribanem, acc. of scriba "a scribe," from scribere (see script).
Main Entry: scriv·en·er Pronunciation: 'skri-v&-n&r Function: noun Etymology: Middle English, alteration of scriveyn, from Anglo-French escrivein, ultimately from Latin scriba public record keeper, from scribere to write : a professional or public copyist or writer of official or formal documents (as deeds or contracts)