Epistolar

/ɪˈpɪstələr/ adjective

Definition

Relating to or characteristic of epistles or letters, especially formal ones.

Etymology

From epistle plus the Latin adjectival suffix -ar. This rare adjective formation follows the pattern of other Latin-derived words like circular or molecular.

Kelly Says

You'll almost never hear this word in modern English because we just say 'epistolary' instead—it's a linguistic fossil that lost out in the competition between different ways to say the same thing.

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