encyclical

1 of 2

adjective

en·​cyc·​li·​cal in-ˈsi-kli-kəl How to pronounce encyclical (audio)
en-
: addressed to all the individuals of a group : general

encyclical

2 of 2

noun

: an encyclical letter
specifically : a papal letter to the bishops of the church as a whole or to those in one country

Examples of encyclical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
One of the forebears of Catholic social thought, Pope Leo XIII, published an encyclical in 1891 that outlined the deleterious effects of unregulated markets on family and community. Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 26 Sep. 2024 Biden, who was vice president when the encyclical was released, referred to the papal document as an inspiration. Victor Gaetan, Foreign Affairs, 27 Oct. 2021
Noun
The foundational document of Catholic social tradition, the 1891 encyclical of Pope Leo XIII, argued that individual freedom did little to help workers secure a living wage, and valorized workers’ associations, urging government to intervene to balance the economy. New York Times, 19 Oct. 2021 Benedict asked in a characteristic passage of a 2007 encyclical on hope. Rachel Donadio, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2022 See all Example Sentences for encyclical 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Late Latin encyclicus, from Greek enkyklios circular, general, from en in + kyklos circle — more at in, wheel

First Known Use

Adjective

1647, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1837, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of encyclical was in 1647

Dictionary Entries Near encyclical

Cite this Entry

“Encyclical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encyclical. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

encyclical

noun
en·​cyc·​li·​cal
in-ˈsik-li-kəl,
en-
: a letter addressed to a whole group
especially : a letter from the pope to the bishops of the church
encyclical adjective

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