encyclical

Also en·cyc·lic

[en-sik-li-kuhl, -sahy-kli-]

noun

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

adjective

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

encyclical

/ ɛnˈsɪklɪkəl /

noun

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

adjective

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

encyclical

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of encyclical¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of encyclical¹

C17: from Late Latin encyclicus, from Greek enkuklios general, from kuklos circle

Example Sentences

The author asserts that the Church’s teachings on immigrant dignity rest on deep biblical and theological foundations rooted in scripture and papal encyclicals, making the bishops’ position consistent with authentic Catholic doctrine.

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We will know more about the explicit course of Catholic thought on AI if Leo issues a much-rumored encyclical on the topic.

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He is particularly known for issuing an encyclical - a letter sent to bishops of the Church - called "Rerum Novarum", a Latin expression which means "Of New Things".

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“One pope after another did an encyclical to mark further the rights of the poor,” said James F. Keenan, S.J., a Jesuit priest and professor of theology at Boston College.

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Obituaries from several major newspapers, including this one, either ignored or only made passing reference to his encyclical.

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