epistle

C2 Topic:Register & Style

US /ɪˈpɪsəl/ UK /ɪˈpɪsəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #70555

Meanings

1

noun
a formal or literary letter, especially a long one

The editor received a lengthy epistle defending the controversial essay.
2

noun
a literary work written in the form of a letter or a series of letters

The poem is an epistle addressed by an exile to his former countrymen.
3

noun
one of the New Testament letters written by an apostle to a person or Christian community

The sermon drew its theme from Paul's Epistle to the Romans.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a formal or literary... letter missive communication

2 noun · a literary work written in... verse letterepistolary work

3 noun · one of the new testament... apostolic letter

Word family

Forms epistles

Derived forms epistlerepistoler

Related forms epistolaryepistolistepistolography

Etymology

From Middle English epistle, reinforced by Old French epistle, from Latin epistola ("letter"), itself from Ancient Greek epistole ("message, letter"). The Greek noun is related to epistellein, "to send to," from epi- ("to, upon") + stellein ("to send"). The specifically Christian sense arose from the apostolic letters in the New Testament.

Topics

External links

# epistle

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ɪˈpɪsəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪˈpɪsəl/
**Frequency rank:** 70555

## Meanings
1. a formal or literary letter, especially a long one
2. a literary work written in the form of a letter or a series of letters
3. one of the New Testament letters written by an apostle to a person or Christian community

## Examples
- The editor received a lengthy epistle defending the controversial essay.
- The poem is an epistle addressed by an exile to his former countrymen.
- The sermon drew its theme from Paul's Epistle to the Romans.

## Synonyms
- letter
- missive
- communication

## Derived Forms
- epistler
- epistoler

## Related Forms
- epistolary
- epistolist
- epistolography

## Etymology
From Middle English epistle, reinforced by Old French epistle, from Latin epistola ("letter"), itself from Ancient Greek epistole ("message, letter"). The Greek noun is related to epistellein, "to send to," from epi- ("to, upon") + stellein ("to send"). The specifically Christian sense arose from the apostolic letters in the New Testament.

## Topics
- Register & Style
- General Vocabulary

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