Meaning & use

epistle

noun·Advanced

A formal or literary letter, especially one intended for publication or public reading.

See it in a sentence

Paul's epistles to early Christian communities remain central texts of the New Testament.

The professor called the student's ten-page complaint less an email than an epistle.

A note on using this word

Epistle carries a formal, often literary or historical tone, unlike the everyday word 'letter.'

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “epistle”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.