epistolary

epistolary

English

Etymology

1650s, from French épistolaire, from Latin *epistolarium, from epistola (“letter”) (English epistle) + -arium,[1] 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
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪˈpɪst(ə)ˌləɹi/

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.

   an epistolary relationship

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)

Noun

epistolary (plural epistolaries)

1. (Christianity) A Christian liturgical book containing set readings for church services from the New Testament Epistles.

References

1. “epistolary” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2001–2019.