/en sik"li keuhl, -suy"kli-/ , n.
1. Rom. Cath. Ch. a letter addressed by the pope to all the bishops of the church.
adj.
2. (of a letter) intended for wide or general circulation; general.
Also, encyclic .
[ 1610-20; encyclicus ( enkýklios, with -icus -IC for -ios, equiv. to en- EN- 2 + kýkl ( os ) circle, CYCLE + -ios adj. suffix) + -AL 1 ]