scrivener

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman scrivein (“professional penman, copyist”), from Old French escrivain, from Vulgar Latin *scriba, *scribanem, from Latin scriba, from scrībō (“I write”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈskɹɪvnə(ɹ)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈskɹɪvənəɹ/

scrivener (plural scriveners)

1. A professional writer; one whose occupation is to draw contracts or prepare writings.
   • 1592, William Shakespeare, Richard III, 3.6

     Scrivener (enters with a paper in hand):

     Here is the indictment of the good Lord Hastings,

     Which in a set hand fairly in engrossed

     That is may be today read o'er in Paul's.

     And mark how well the sequel hangs together:

     Eleven hours I have spent to write it over...

2. (obsolete) One whose business is to place money at interest; a broker.
3. A writing master.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Halliwell to this entry?)

• amanuensis
• scribe
• tabellion

• notary

• scrivener in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• scrivener in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.