postil

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)
• HYPHEN: pos=til

CIDE DICTIONARY

postil, n. [F. postille, apostille, LL. postilla, probably from L. post illa (sc. verba) after those (words). Cf. Apostil.].

•  Originally, an explanatory note in the margin of the Bible, so called because written after the text; hence, a marginal note; a comment.  [1913 Webster]

  "Langton also made postils upon the whole Bible."  [1913 Webster]
•  A short homily or commentary on a passage of Scripture; as, the first postils were composed by order of Charlemagne.  [1913 Webster]

postil, v. t. [Cf. LL. postillare.].

 To write marginal or explanatory notes on; to gloss.  Bacon.  [1913 Webster]

postil, v. i. 

 To write postils, or marginal notes; to comment; to postillate.  [1913 Webster]
"Postiling and allegorizing on Scripture."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

postil, n. hist.
1 a marginal note or comment, esp. on a text of Scripture.
2 a commentary.

Etymology

ME f. OF postille f. med.L postilla, of uncert. orig.