From Greek 'autographon' (written with one's own hand) — originally an author's manuscript, later extended to a celebrity's signature.
A person's own signature or handwriting; a manuscript written in the author's own hand.
From Late Latin "autographum" (a writing in one's own hand), from Greek "autographon" (written with one's own hand), a neuter substantive of "autographos," composed of "auto-" (self) and "graphos" (written), from "graphein" (to write, to scratch, to draw). Greek "auto-" derives from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew- (self, apart), which also produced Latin "aut" (or), Sanskrit "ava" (away, off), and is reflected in Old English "ēow" (you — in certain reconstructions). Greek "graphein" derives from PIE *gerbʰ- (to scratch, to carve), which also produced Old English "ceorfan" (to carve), Old
The distinction between 'autograph' (the original document in the author's hand) and a copy was critical in biblical scholarship. Scholars use 'autograph' to refer to the hypothetical original manuscripts of biblical books, none of which survive. All existing biblical manuscripts are copies of copies — a fact
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