E*pis"tle (?), n. [OE. epistle, epistel, AS. epistol, pistol, L. epistola, fr. Gr. anything sent by a messenger, message, letter, fr. to send to, tell by letter or message; upon, to + to dispatch, send; cf. OF. epistle, epistre, F. 'epitre. See Stall.]
1.
A writing directed or sent to a person or persons; a written communication; a letter; -- applied usually to formal, didactic, or elegant letters.
A madman's epistles are no gospels.
Shak.
2. Eccl.
One of the letters in the New Testament which were addressed to their Christian brethren by Apostles.
Epistle side, the right side of an altar or church to a person looking from the nave toward the chancel.
One sees the pulpit on the epistle side.
R. Browning.
© Webster 1913.
E*pis"tle, v. t.
To write; to communicate in a letter or by writing.
[Obs.]
Milton.
© Webster 1913.