Dictionary:

scrivener

  (skrĭv'ə-nər, skrĭv'nər)

1. 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).
2. A notary.

[Middle English scriveiner, from scrivein, from Old French escrivein, from Vulgar Latin *scrība, scrībān-, from Latin scrība, scribe. See scribe.]

A New York Times article about Grigori Perelman, who apparently has solved one of mathematics' thorniest challenges, the Poincaré conjecture, brought forth the following image of the field (scrivener comes from the same root as does "scribe" and means approximately the same thing):

"Mathematics is supposed to be a Wikipedia-like undertaking, with thousands of self-effacing scriveners quietly laboring over a great self-correcting text."

Link: The Math Was Complex, the Intentions, Strikingly Simple - New York Times

Posted August 28, 2006.

See our Word Overheard blog to see interesting uses of strange words.

A term, infrequently used in the United States, signifying a writer or scribe, particularly one who draws legal documents. Also, one who acts as the agent for another, investing and managing that other's property, whether money or otherwise, for a fee.

For the text editor, see Scrivener (software).

Telling a problem to a public scrivener. Constantinople, 1878.

Scrivener of the Ferrers Household circa 1470 records the will of a man-at-arms

A scrivener (or scribe) was traditionally a person who could read and write. This usually indicated secretarial and administrative duties such as dictation and keeping business, judicial, and history records for kings, nobility, temples, and cities. Scriveners later developed into public servants, accountants, lawyers and petition writers, etc.

Scrivener can also refer to scrivener notaries, who get their name from the Scriveners' Company. Historically, scrivener notaries were the only notaries public permitted to practice in the City of London, the liberties of Westminster, the borough of Southwark, and the area within three miles of the City. Due to their geographical proximity to the embassies of many civil law countries, scrivener notaries are only appointed after five years articles to a practicing scrivener notary. Scrivener notaries must be fluent in one or two foreign languages and be familiar with the principles and practice of foreign law. The historical privilege of scrivener notaries was abolished by the Access to Justice Act 1999, since when any public notary may practice in the City of London and surrounding area.

In Japan, the word "scrivener" (書士, shoshi^?) is used to refer to legal professions such as judicial scriveners and administrative scriveners.

A scrivener is also someone who scribbles. See scribe.

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