1763, "worship of books," from biblio- "book" + -latry "worship of." Meaning "worship of the Bible" is from 1847. Related: Bibliolatrist; bibliolatrous.
Entries linking to bibliolatry
biblio-
word-forming element meaning "book" or sometimes "Bible," from Greek biblion "paper, scroll," also the ordinary word for "a book as a division of a larger work;" originally a diminutive of byblos "Egyptian papyrus." This is perhaps from Byblos, the Phoenician port from which Egyptian papyrus was exported to Greece (modern Jebeil, in Lebanon; for sense evolution compare parchment). Or the place name might be from the Greek word, which then would be probably of Egyptian origin. Compare Bible. Latin liber (see library) and English book also are ultimately from plant-words.
-latry
word-forming element meaning "worship of," used as an element in native formations from 19c. (such as bardolatry), from Greek -latreia "worship, service paid to the gods, hired labor," related to latron (n.) "pay, hire," latris "servant, worshipper," from PIE *le- (1) "to get" (see larceny).
bibliolator n.
also bibliolater, "book-worshipper," 1820, perhaps first in Coleridge, from bibliolatry (q.v.). In later use, especially "one who regards the letter of the Bible with undue respect."