encyclical

American  

[en-sik-li-kuhl, -sahy-kli-] / ɛnˈsɪk lɪ kəl, -ˈsaɪ klɪ- /

Also encyclic

noun

1. Roman Catholic Church. a letter addressed by the pope to all the bishops of the church.

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adjective

1. (of a letter) intended for wide or general circulation; general.

encyclical British  

/ ɛnˈsɪklɪkəl /

noun

1. a letter sent by the pope to all Roman Catholic bishops throughout the world

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adjective

1. (of letters) intended for general or wide circulation

encyclical Cultural  

1. 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.

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Etymology

Origin of encyclical

1610–20; < Late Latin encyclicus (< Greek enkýklios, with -icus -ic for -ios, equivalent to en- en- ² + kýkl ( os ) circle, cycle + -ios adj. suffix) + -al ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

encyclical

At Notre Dame, Sullivan leads Delta, a Christian-rooted AI ethics initiative whose work aligns with Pope Leo’s May encyclical, “Magnifica humanitas.”

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 24, 2026

The Vatican invited Anthropic to a launch event for Pope Leo’s encyclical, citing the company’s ethics following its face-off with the U.S.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

What makes this apology so powerful is also what makes the rest of the encyclical so frustrating.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026

So what did the Chicago Pope actually say, what was he doing with his encyclical, and what’s an encyclical anyway?

From Slate ● Jun. 5, 2026

Does this encyclical tendency in the familiar æsthetics of life imply a corresponding tendency in the moral and intellectual movement of mankind?

From Modern Society by Julia Ward Howe

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