adj.
Intended for general or wide circulation.
n. Roman Catholic Church
A papal letter addressed to the bishops of the Church or to the hierarchy of a particular country.
[From Medieval Lattin encyclicus, circular, from Greek enkuklios : en-, in; see en-2 + kuklos, circle.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
