[epis.tle] n [ME, letter, Epistle, fr. OF, fr. L epistula, epistola letter, fr. Gk epistole message, letter, fr. epistellein to send to, fr. epi- + stellein to send] (13c) 1 cap a: one of the letters adopted as books of the New Testament b: a liturgical lection usu. from one of the New Testament Epistles
2. a: letter; esp: a formal or elegant letter b: a composition in the form of a letter -- epis.tler n