epistle

== English == === Etymology === The noun is derived from Middle English epistel, epistole, pistel (“letter; literary work in letter form; written legend or story; spoken communication; (Christianity) one of the letters by an apostle in the New Testament; extract from such a letter read as part of the Mass”) [and other forms], and then partly: from Old English epistol, epistola, pistol (“letter, epistle”), from Latin epistola (“letter, epistle; literary work in letter form”) (whence Late Latin epistola (“one of the letters by an apostle in the New Testament”)), from Ancient Greek ἐπῐστολή (epĭstolḗ, “letter; message”), from ἐπῐστέλλω (epĭstéllō, “to inform by, or to send, a letter or message”) (from ἐπῐ- (epĭ-, prefix meaning ‘on, upon’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁epi (“at; near; on”)) + στέλλω (stéllō, “to dispatch, send”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *stel- (“to locate; to place, put”))) + -η (-ē, suffix forming action nouns); and from Anglo-Norman epistle, and Middle French epistle, epistele, epistole (“letter; (Christianity) one of the letters by an apostle in the New Testament; extract from such a letter read as part of the Mass”) (modern French épître), from Latin epistola (see above). The verb is derived from the noun. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ɪˈpɪsl̩/ (General American) IPA(key): /ɪˈpɪs(ə)l/ Rhymes: -ɪsəl Hyphenation: epis‧tle === Noun === epistle (plural epistles) A literary composition in the form of a letter or series of letters, especially one in verse. (chiefly literary or humorous) A letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly. (specifically, historical) Chiefly with a qualifying word, as in epistle dedicatory: a letter of dedication addressed to a patron or reader published as a preface to a literary work. (Christianity) One of the books of the New Testament which was originally a letter issued by an apostle to an individual or a community. An extract from a New Testament epistle (noun sense 3.1) or book other than a gospel which is read during a church service, chiefly the Eucharist. ==== Alternative forms ==== (New Testament book; extract read during a church service): Epistle ==== Synonyms ==== pistle (archaic or obsolete) ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== open letter === Verb === epistle (third-person singular simple present epistles, present participle epistling, simple past and past participle epistled) (transitive) (chiefly literary or humorous) To write (something) in, or in the form of, a letter. (chiefly literary or humorous, archaic) To write a letter to (someone). (rare) To write (something) as an introduction or preface to a literary work; also, to provide (a literary work) with an introduction or preface. (intransitive, chiefly literary or humorous) To write a letter. To communicate with someone through a letter. ==== Derived terms ==== epistling (noun) ==== Translations ==== === References === === Further reading === epistle on Wikipedia.Wikipedia === Anagrams === pelites, septile