/ ˈgɒspl; NAmE ˈgɑːspl/ noun
1.
[ C ] (also Gospel ) one of the four books in the Bible about the life and teaching of Jesus :
the Gospel according to St John
St Mark's Gospel
2.
[ sing. ] (also the Gospel ) the life and teaching of Jesus as explained in the Bible :
preaching / spreading the gospel
3.
[ C , usually sing. ] a set of ideas that sb believes in and tries to persuade others to accept :
He preached a gospel of military strength.
4.
(also ˌgospel ˈtruth ) [ U ] ( informal ) the complete truth :
Is that gospel?
Don't take his word as gospel.
5.
(also ˈgospel music ) [ U ] a style of religious singing developed by African Americans :
a gospel choir
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English gōdspel , from gōd good + spel news, a story , translating ecclesiastical Latin bona annuntiatio or bonus nuntius , used to gloss ecclesiastical Latin evangelium , from Greek euangelion good news; after the vowel was shortened in Old English , the first syllable was mistaken for god God .