Word of the Day

catena

noun/kəˈtiːnə/(kuh-TEENUH)

Linked biblical commentary.

The medieval scholar compiled a catena.

Origin: Latin “chain.”

Catena is a Latin word meaning chain, and in scholarship it refers to a series of linked commentaries on biblical or classical texts. Each author’s words are passed down and joined to others, forming a continuous “chain” of interpretation that preserves intellectual traditions across generations.