epistolary

English

Etymology

1650s, from French épistolaire, from Latin *epistolarium, from Latin epistola (“letter”) (English epistle) + -arium, from Ancient Greek ἐπιστολή (epistolḗ) from ἐπιστέλλω (epistéllō, “I send a message”) from ἐπί (epí, “upon”) + στέλλω (stéllō, “I prepare, send”).

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: e‧pis‧to‧la‧ry

Noun

epistolary (plural epistolaries)

1. a Christian liturgical book containing set readings for church services from the New Testament Epistles.

Adjective

epistolary (comparative more epistolary, superlative most epistolary)

1. of or relating to letters, or the writing of letters
2. carried on by written correspondence
3. in the manner of written correspondence

   epistolary style

   an epistolary novel

Related terms

• epistle

Translations

Translations

• French: épistolaire (fr)
• Greek: επιστολικός (el) m (epistolikós)

• Italian: epistolare
• Macedonian: писмовник m (pismovnik)