encyclical
[ en-sik-li-kuh l, -sahy-kli- ]
/ ɛnˈsɪk lɪ kəl, -ˈsaɪ klɪ- /
noun
Roman Catholic Church. a letter addressed by the pope to all the bishops of the church.
adjective
(of a letter) intended for wide or general circulation; general.
Nearby words
enculturation, encumber, encumbrance, encumbrancer, ency., encyclical, encyclopaedia, encyclopedia, encyclopedic, encyclopedism, encyclopedist
Also en·cyc·lic.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for encyclical
encyclical
/ (ɛnˈsɪklɪkəl) /
noun
a letter sent by the pope to all Roman Catholic bishops throughout the world
adjective Also: encyclic
(of letters) intended for general or wide circulation
Word Origin for encyclical
C17: from Late Latin encyclicus, from Greek enkuklios general, from kuklos circle
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for encyclical
encyclical
in reference to a letter sent by the Pope to all the bishops, 1640s, from Late Latin encyclicus, from Latin encyclius, from Greek enkyklios "in a circle, circular" (see encyclopedia). As a noun, from 1837.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Culture definitions for encyclical
encyclical
[ (en-sik-li-kuhl) ]
A letter from the pope to the bishops of the Roman Catholic Church, in which he lays down policy on religious, moral, or political issues.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.