Definition of epistolary
1 : of, relating to, or suitable to a letter
2 : contained in or carried on by letters an endless sequence of … epistolary love affairs — The Times Literary Supplement (London)
3 : written in the form of a series of letters an epistolary novel
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Did You Know?
Epistolary was formed from the noun epistle, which refers to a composition written in the form of a letter to a particular person or group. In its original sense, epistle refers to one of the 21 letters (such as those from the apostle Paul) found in the New Testament. Dating from the 13th century, epistle came to English via Anglo-French and Latin from the Greek noun epistolē, meaning "message" or "letter." Epistolē, in turn, came from the verb epistellein, meaning "to send" to or "to send from." Epistolary appeared in English four centuries after epistle and can be used to describe something related to or contained in a letter (as in "epistolary greetings") or composed of letters (as in "an epistolary novel").
Circa 1656
First Known Use of epistolary
circa 1656
epistolary
Definition of epistolary
epistolaries
: a lectionary containing a body of liturgical epistles
Circa 1900
First Known Use of epistolary
circa 1900
Other Christian Religious Terms
EPISTOLARY Defined for English Language Learners
epistolary
playDefinition of epistolary for English Language Learners
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: of or relating to a letter : suitable to a letter
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: written in the form of a series of letters
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