epistle

UK: 'epistle', 'Epistle': /ɪˈpɪs^əl/ US: (i pis′əl)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

e•pis•tle  (i pis′əl), n. 

1. a letter, esp. a formal or didactic one;
   written communication.
2. Bible (usually cap.) one of the apostolic letters in the New Testament.
3. Bible (often cap.) an extract, usually from one of the Epistles of the New Testament, forming part of the Eucharistic service in certain churches.

• Greek epistolé̄ message, letter, equivalent. to epi- epi- + stol- (variant stem of stéllein to send) + -ē noun, nominal suffix
• Latin epistula, epistola
• bef. 900; Middle English; Old English epistol

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

epistle / ɪˈpɪs^əl/ noun

1. a letter, esp one that is long, formal, or didactic
2. a literary work in letter form, esp a dedicatory verse letter of a type originated by Horace

Etymology: Old English epistol, via Latin from Greek epistolē, from epistellein to send to, from stellein to prepare, send

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Epistle / ɪˈpɪs^əl/ noun

1. any of the apostolic letters of Saints Paul, Peter, James, Jude, or John
2. a reading from one of the Epistles, forming part of the Eucharistic service in many Christian Churches