Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

ĕpīstŏla, ae, v. epistula.

ĕpistŭla (also in Cic. and ante- and post-class., ĕpistŏla, Corss. Ausspr. 2, 141; but cf. Brambach, Hülfsb. p. 35 sq. Ritschl, Opusc. 2, 493 note), ae, f., = ἐπιστολή.

  1. I. In gen., a written communication, a letter, epistle (cf.: litterae, codicilli): venio nunc ad tuas litteras, quas pluribus epistolis accepi, Cic. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 3, § 8; Plaut. Bacch. 3, 6, 32; 4, 9, 83; id. Mil. 4, 6, 10 et saep.; Cic. Phil. 2, 31; id. Verr. 2, 3, 69 fin.; id. Fam. 2, 4 et saep.; Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 22; Ov. H. 15, 219; 17, 1; 18, 217 et saep.: epistolam obsignare, Cic. Att. 8, 6, 1: Narcissus ab epistolis, the secretary, Suet. Claud. 28; cf. ab.
    In the plur.: epistulae (cf. litterae), of a single letter (post-class.), Just. 1, 6, 1; 11, 12, 9; Plin. Ep. 10, 5, 1 al.; Tac. A. 1, 30; cf.: unis aut binis epistolis, Mamert. Grat. Act. Jul. 9, 2.
  2. II. In partic., an imperial letter or reply, stating the emperor’s will as law (cf.: rescriptum, decretum, edictum), Just. Inst. 1, 2, 6; Front. Aq. 105 et saep.