epistle

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: E=pis=tle

CIDE DICTIONARY

epistle, n. [OE. epistle, epistel, AS. epistol, pistol, L. epistola, fr. Gr. anything sent by a messenger, message, letter, fr. to send to, tell by letter or message; 'epi` upon, to + to dispatch, send; cf. OF. epistle, epistre, F. épître. See Stall.].

•  A writing directed or sent to a person or persons; a written communication; a letter; -- applied usually to formal, didactic, or elegant letters.  [1913 Webster]

  "A madman's epistles are no gospels."  [1913 Webster]
•  One of the letters in the New Testament which were addressed to their Christian brethren by Apostles.  [1913 Webster]

  "One sees the pulpit on the epistle side."  [1913 Webster]

Epistle side, the right side of an altar or church to a person looking from the nave toward the chancel.

epistle, v. t. 

 To write; to communicate in a letter or by writing.  Milton.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

epistle, n.
1 formal or joc. a letter, esp. a long one on a serious subject.
2 (Epistle) a any of the letters of the apostles in the New Testament. b an extract from an Epistle read in a church service.
3 a poem or other literary work in the form of a letter or series of letters.

Etymology

ME f. OF f. L epistola f. Gk epistole f. epistello send news (as EPI-, stello send)

ROGET THESAURUS

epistle

Correspondence

N correspondence, letter, epistle, note, billet, post card, missive, circular, favor, billet-doux, chit, chitty, letter card, picture post card, postal, card, despatch, dispatch, bulletin, these presents, rescript, rescription, post, epistolary, furor scribendi.