Bohairic

dialect

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Last updated

June 22, 2026

Quick Summary

Bohairic is a dialect of Coptic, the final stage of the ancient Egyptian language. It was historically spoken in the northwestern Nile delta region of Egypt, including Alexandria.12

While Coptic was written using the Greek alphabet with some additional letters, Bohairic, like other Coptic dialects, replaced earlier Egyptian terms with Greek loanwords.2

Bohairic has been used for religious purposes by Coptic Christians since the 11th century and is the language of the official Bible version of the Coptic Church. It is one of the six main dialects of Coptic, with the others primarily spoken in Upper Egypt.12

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Coptic language
…the dialect are extant), and Bohairic (from Arabic, al-Buḥayrah), originally spoken in the western part of Lower Egypt including the cities of Alexandria and Memphis. Bohairic has been used for religious purposes since the 11th century by all Coptic Christians. The latest Coptic texts date from the 14th century.
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…the dialect are extant), and Bohairic (from Arabic, al-Buḥayrah), originally spoken in the western part of Lower Egypt including the cities of Alexandria and Memphis. Bohairic has been used for religious purposes since the 11th century by all Coptic Christians. The latest Coptic texts date from the 14th century.
Read More