epistle

views updated Jun 27 2018

e·pis·tle / iˈpisəl/ • n. formal a letter. ∎  a poem or other literary work in the form of a letter or series of letters. ∎  (also Epistle) a book of the New Testament in the form of a letter from an Apostle: St. Paul's epistle to the Romans. ∎  an extract from an Epistle (or another New Testament book not a Gospel) that is read in a church service.ORIGIN: Old English, via Latin from Greek epistolē, from epistellein ‘send news,’ from epi ‘upon, in addition’ + stellein ‘send.’ The word was reintroduced in Middle English from Old French.

Epistle

views updated May 17 2018

Epistle in the Christian Church, a book of the New Testament in the form of a letter from an Apostle.

Epistle also denotes an extract from an Epistle (or another New Testament book not a Gospel) that is read in a church service.
Epistle side in a church, the south end of an altar, from which the Epistle is traditionally read (opposite to the north or Gospel side).

epistle

views updated May 11 2018

epistle apostolic letter of the N. T. XIII; (gen.) letter XIV. OE. epistol, beside pistol, ME. pistle — L. epistola; ME. epistle — OF. epistle (mod. épître) — L. epistola — Gr. epistolḗ, f. epistéllein send, esp. as a message, f. EPI- +stéllein send.
So epistolary XV. f. F. épistolaire or L. epistolāris.

Epistle

views updated May 29 2018

Epistle. The usual word for a letter, especially of the New Testament, and in liturgical use.