— apostlehood, apostleship , n.
/euh pos"euhl/ , n.
1. any of the early followers of Jesus who carried the Christian message into the world.
2. ( sometimes cap. ) any of the original 12 disciples called by Jesus to preach the gospel: Simon Peter, the brothers James and John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, Judas Iscariot.
3. the first or the best-known Christian missionary in any region or country.
4. Eastern Ch. one of the 70 disciples of Jesus.
5. the title of the highest ecclesiastical official in certain Protestant sects.
6. (among the Jews of the Christian epoch) a title borne by persons sent on foreign missions.
7. one of the 12 administrative officials of the Mormon Church.
8. a pioneer of any reform movement.
9. Naut. a knighthead, esp. one having its top projecting and used as a bitt or bollard.
[ bef. 950; ME, var. of APOSTEL, APOSTOL, OE apostol (cf. OFris apostol, OHG apostol ( o ), G Apostel ) apostolus apóstolos lit., one who is sent out; akin to apostéllein to send off; see APO-. Compare, with loss of initial unstressed a-, ME postle, postel, OE postol ( > ON postuli ) OHG postul ]