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 [Hebrew] = 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).
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 1592. Þe grettest of all gods names, Þis title, Tetragramaton.
1577. trans. 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.
1606. N. Baxter, Sir P. Sidney’s Ourania, C j b. Some call him mightie Tetragrammaton Of letters fower in composition.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., I. Ad Sect. v. 61. The Tetragrammaton or adoreable Mystery of the Patriarchs.
1689. T. Plunket, Char. Gd. Commander, 44. But the tremenduos Tetragrammaton Will not, not always be a looker on.
1768. Tucker, 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.
1891. T. 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.
1656. H. 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, fire Persons of the Soul.
1665. Wither, 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.
1601. A. 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.
a. 1610. Babington, Exp. Cath. Faith, II. (1637), 195. O name that cannot bee expressed! O name truly tetragrammaton!
1614. Selden, Titles Hon., 50. The Tetragrammaton name of the Almightie.
Hence † Tetragrammatical a., consisting of four letters; pertaining to the or a tetragrammaton; Tetragrammatonic a. [irreg. for -atic], of or pertaining to the tetragrammaton.
1759. J. Yeomans, Abecedarian (title-p.). A Discourse on the Word, or A-Tau, tetragrammatical.
1895. Funk’s Standard Dict., Tetragrammatonic.
