n.
Pronunciation: ' gäs-p ə l
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English g ō dspel (trans. of Late Latin evangelium ), from g ō d good + spell tale ― more at SPELL
Date: before 12th century
1 a often capitalized : the message concerning Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation b capitalized : one of the first four New Testament books telling of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ also : a similar apocryphal book c : an interpretation of the Christian message <the social gospel >
2 capitalized : a lection from one of the New Testament Gospels
3 : the message or teachings of a religious teacher
4 : something accepted or promoted as infallible truth or as a guiding principle or doctrine <took her words as gospel > <spreading the gospel of conservation ― R. M. Hodesh>
5 : gospel music
– gos · pel · ly \ ' gäs-p ə -l ē \ adjective