I. ə̇ˈpisəl, ēˈ- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English epistel, epistle, epistole, from Old French, Late Latin & Latin; Old French epistle, from Late Latin epistola, epistula biblical epistle, from Latin, letter, from Greek epistolē order, message, epistle, from epistellein to send to, order, from epi- + stellein to make ready, send — more at stall
1. usually capitalized
a. : one of the letters of the New Testament
the General Epistles follow Paul's Epistles — Madeleine S. & J.L.Miller
b. : a lection usually from one of the New Testament Epistles and read or sung as part of a Christian liturgical service (as in Roman Catholic and Anglican churches)
the subdeacon sings the Epistle for the day at high Mass
2.
a. : letter
flinging the journal into the farthest corners and sitting down to indite epistles — H.A.Overstreet
Pope Gelasius … in his epistle mentioning the legend — G.C.Sellery
b. : a composition in prose or poetry written in the form of a letter to a particular person or group
in spite of Bacon's disclaimer, in a dedicatory epistle to Andrewes — Douglas Bush
a digressive verse epistle
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
archaic : write