Agency Dictionary
epistle
nounPronunciation: /ɪˈpɪsəl/
In Portuguese: epístola
Writing & NarrativeWhat does “epistle” mean?
A formal, literary, or didactic letter composed for public distribution or pedagogical edification.
Etymology
From Latin epistola, from Greek epistole, "message, letter", from epistellein, "to send to", formed from epi ("to, upon") and stellein ("to send, to make ready"). The word came into English twice: Old English took it straight from Latin, and Middle English took it again through Old French epistle. It names above all the letters of the New Testament and the verse letters of classical poets such as Horace.
Usage note
The t is silent. Outside religious and literary contexts the word is used with humour, for a long or solemn letter.
Synonyms
- letter
- missive
- dispatch
- communication
Often confused with
- apostle
- An apostle is a person who is sent; an epistle is a letter that is sent. Both words contain the Greek verb stellein.
Word family
- epistolary
Rhymes with
- whistle
- thistle
- bristle
- gristle
- dismissal
Usage examples
Although he may be diverted from this plan by his intense thinking, as in an ode, or may neglect it carelessly, as in an epistle or an essay, some end or intention must appear in his initial composition, if not in the complete composition of the work.
Concepts
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Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
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Also from these editions: terms
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