00:10
00:09
00:08
00:07
00:06
00:05
00:04
00:03
00:02
00:01
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
| textual criticism | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the scholarly study of manuscripts, esp of the Bible, in an effort to establish the original text |
| 2. | literary criticism emphasizing a close analysis of the text |
| textual critic | |
| —n | |
textual criticism
the technique of restoring texts as nearly as possible to their original form. Texts in this connection are defined as writings other than formal documents, inscribed or printed on paper, parchment, papyrus, or similar materials. The study of formal documents such as deeds and charters belongs to the science known as "diplomatics"; the study of writings on stone is part of epigraphy; while inscriptions on coins and seals are the province of numismatics and sigillography.
Learn more about textual criticism with a free trial on Britannica.com.