Pericope
[pə-RIK-ə-pee]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Ancient Greek, 17th century
1.
An extract from a text, especially a passage from the Bible.
Examples of Pericope in a sentence
"The bride and groom chose to exchange their own vows, based on pericopes from “Alice in Wonderland” and “Pride and Prejudice.”"
"For a pericope from the New Testament, the pastor chose a section of the Sermon on the Mount."
About Pericope
“Pericope” is from the ancient Greek “περικοπή” (“perikopḗ”), meaning “section.” That word was formed by combining “περι-” (“peri-”), meaning “across,” and “κοπή” (“kopḗ”), meaning “cutting.”
Did you Know?
A “pericope” isn’t just a passage drawn from a larger text, but rather a section that constitutes a complete thought. As a result, pericopes have often been used as parts of speeches. When the word emerged in the 17th century, “pericope” referred to a section of a religious text (usually Christian) suitable for reading aloud as part of public worship and religious instruction. In subsequent years, “pericope” began to mean any section of text suitable for inclusion in a speech, which helped define the word as a piece of text that presents a whole thought suitable for an orator to draw a lesson from.
