Encyclical

Pronunciation: /ɛnˈsɪklɪkəl/

Definitions of encyclical

noun a papal letter sent to all bishops of the Roman Catholic Church

Example Sentences

A1 An encyclical is a type of official letter from the Pope.

A2 The encyclical focused on the importance of caring for the environment.

B1 The encyclical addressed social justice issues affecting marginalized communities.

B2 Pope Francis' latest encyclical called for global solidarity in addressing climate change.

C1 The encyclical eloquently articulated the Church's stance on ethical issues in modern society.

C2 Scholars debated the theological implications of the encyclical for contemporary moral theology.

Examples of encyclical in a Sentence

formal The Pope issued an encyclical on climate change, urging all Catholics to take action.

informal Have you read the latest encyclical from the Vatican? It's about environmental protection.

slang I skimmed through that encyclical thing the Pope wrote, but it was too long for me to read fully.

figurative His speech was like an encyclical, covering every aspect of the topic in great detail.

Grammatical Forms of encyclical

• past tense: encyclicaled
• plural: encyclicals
• comparative: more encyclical
• superlative: most encyclical
• present tense: encyclicals
• future tense: will encyclical
• perfect tense: have encyclicaled
• continuous tense: is encyclicaling
• singular: encyclical
• positive degree: encyclical
• infinitive: to encyclical
• gerund: encyclicaling
• participle: encyclicaled

Origin and Evolution of encyclical

First Known Use: 1566 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'encyclical' originated from the Latin word 'encyclicus' which means 'general' or 'circular'. It was derived from the Greek word 'enkyklios' meaning 'going in a circle'.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in reference to papal letters sent to all the churches of a particular area, the term 'encyclical' has evolved to encompass any official letter from a pope to the bishops of the Roman Catholic Church or sometimes to all the faithful. It has also been adopted more broadly to refer to any authoritative or official letter from a high-ranking religious figure or organization.