Forms: 4–6 apocripha, (8 apocryphy), 6– apocrypha. [neut. pl. (sc. scripta) of late L. adj. apocryphus, a. Gr. ἀπόκρυφος hidden, hence, of unknown authorship, spurious, f. ἀποκρύπτ-ειν to hide away. Formerly used in pl. apocrypha, sing. apocryphum) as adj. As sb., still properly treated as a plural, with singular of Gr. form apocryphon; but in common usage apocrypha is sing. with pl. apocryphas. In this sense apocryphy was also formerly in use. Cf. prec.]
† A. adj. Of unknown authorship; not authentic, spurious; uncanonical (see B); false. Obs.
1387. Trevisa, Higden, V. 105. The writynge is Apocripha whanne þe auctor þerof is unknowe.
1460. Capgrave, Chron., 7. ‘The Penauns of Adam’ be cleped Apocriphum, whech is to sey, whanne the mater is in doute, or ellis whan men knowe not who mad the book.
1690. Locke, Government, II. I. xi. § 143. 150. That … Kings enjoy’d their Crowns by Right descending to them from Adam, that we think not only Apocrypha, but also utterly impossible.
B. sb.
1. A writing or statement of doubtful authorship or authenticity; spec. those books included in the Septuagint and Vulgate versions of the Old Testament, which were not originally written in Hebrew and not counted genuine by the Jews, and which, at the Reformation, were excluded from the Sacred Canon by the Protestant party, as having no well-grounded claim to inspired authorship.
1539. Bible (‘Great’), Apocrypha, Pref. The other [bookes] folowynge, which are called apocripha.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, xxx. 470. The Iewes account those bookes for Apocryphaes.
1597. Hooker, Wks. V. xx. (1841), II. 80. We hold not the Apocrypha for sacred.
1704. Lond. Gaz., mmmmxxii/3. The Contents of each Chapter in the Bible, and Apocryphy.
c. 1735. Pope, Donne Sat., iv. 286. What’s now apocrypha, my wit, In time to come may pass for holy writ.
1834. Penny Cycl., II. 163/2. About 1826, it was decided that the Apocrypha should not be circulated by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
1881. W. R. Smith, Old Test. in Jew. Ch., v. 27. The presence of an apocryphon in a Christian MS.
b. attrib.
1590. J. Greenwood, Sland. Art., B iv b. Theire Apochripha liturgye.
1666. Bunyan, Grace Abound., § 65. Casting my eye upon the Apocrypha books, I found it in Ecclesiasticus.
2. [As in Gr.] Hidden things; secrets. rare.
1839. Bailey, Festus, viii. (1848), 80. Every man’s life has its apocrypha; Mine has, at least.
