Adjacent Words

Apostolic definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

APOSTOL'IC
APOSTOL'ICAL, a.
1. Pertaining or relating to the apostles, as the apostolic age.
2. According to the doctrines of the apostles; delivered or taught by the apostles; as apostolic faith or practice.
Apostolic constitutions, a collection of regulations attributed to the apostles, but generally supposed to be spurious. They appeared in the 4th century; are divided into eight books, and consist of rules and precepts relating to the duties of christians, and particularly, the ceremonies and discipline of the church.
Apostolic Fathers, an appellation given to the christian writers of the first century.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: of or relating to or deriving from the Apostles or their teachings [syn: apostolic, apostolical]
2: proceeding from or ordered by or subject to a pope or the papacy regarded as the successor of the Apostles; "papal dispensation" [syn: papal, apostolic, apostolical, pontifical]

Merriam Webster's

adjective Date: 13th century 1. a. of or relating to an apostle b. of, relating to, or conforming to the teachings of the New Testament apostles 2. a. of or relating to a succession of spiritual authority from the apostles held (as by Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Eastern Orthodox) to be perpetuated by successive ordinations of bishops and to be necessary for valid sacraments and orders b. papal • apostolicity noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. 1 of or relating to the Apostles. 2 of the Pope regarded as the successor of St Peter. 3 of the character of an Apostle. Phrases and idioms: Apostolic Fathers the Christian leaders immediately succeeding the Apostles. apostolic succession the uninterrupted transmission of spiritual authority from the Apostles through successive popes and bishops. Etymology: F apostolique or eccl.L apostolicus f. Gk apostolikos (as APOSTLE)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Apostolic Ap`os*tol"ic, Apostolical Ap`os*tol"ic*al, a. [L. apostolicus, Gr. ?: cf. F. apostolique.] 1. Pertaining to an apostle, or to the apostles, their times, or their peculiar spirit; as, an apostolical mission; the apostolic age. 2. According to the doctrines of the apostles; delivered or taught by the apostles; as, apostolic faith or practice. 3. Of or pertaining to the pope or the papacy; papal. Apostolical brief. See under Brief. Apostolic canons, a collection of rules and precepts relating to the duty of Christians, and particularly to the ceremonies and discipline of the church in the second and third centuries. Apostolic church, the Christian church; -- so called on account of its apostolic foundation, doctrine, and order. The churches of Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem were called apostolic churches. Apostolic constitutions, directions of a nature similar to the apostolic canons, and perhaps compiled by the same authors or author. Apostolic fathers, early Christian writers, who were born in the first century, and thus touched on the age of the apostles. They were Polycarp, Clement, Ignatius, and Hermas; to these Barnabas has sometimes been added. Apostolic king (or majesty), a title granted by the pope to the kings of Hungary on account of the extensive propagation of Christianity by St. Stephen, the founder of the royal line. It is now a title of the emperor of Austria in right of the throne of Hungary. Apostolic see, a see founded and governed by an apostle; specifically, the Church of Rome; -- so called because, in the Roman Catholic belief, the pope is the successor of St. Peter, the prince of the apostles, and the only apostle who has successors in the apostolic office. Apostolical succession, the regular and uninterrupted transmission of ministerial authority by a succession of bishops from the apostles to any subsequent period. --Hook.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Apostolic Ap`os*tol"ic, n. [L. apostolicus.] (Eccl. Hist.) A member of one of certain ascetic sects which at various times professed to imitate the practice of the apostles.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. Apostolic means belonging or relating to a Christian religious leader, especially the Pope. He was appointed Apostolic Administrator of Minsk by Pope John Paul II. ADJ 2. Apostolic means belonging or relating to the early followers of Christ and to their teaching. He saw his vocation as one of prayer and apostolic work. ADJ

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. Taught, founded, or authorized by the Apostles, derived from the Apostles, of the Apostles.

Moby Thesaurus

Biblical, Gospel, Mosaic, New-Testament, Old-Testament, apocalyptic, canonical, evangelic, evangelistic, gospel, inspired, papal, papish, papist, papistic, pontifical, popish, prophetic, revealed, revelational, scriptural, textual, textuary, theopneustic