WordValeepistolary
written in the form of letters
In more detail
1. (adjective) relating to or written in the form of letters
2. (adjective) (of a novel or other literary work) told through a series of letters
Examples
- 1. The epistolary novel uses letters between characters to tell the story.
- 2. Samuel Richardson's 'Pamela' is a famous epistolary work from the 18th century.
How to use epistolary
Epistolary is a literary and academic term used to describe works structured as letters or letter collections, most commonly novels. It appears in formal critical discussions and literary analysis rather than in everyday speech. The term emphasizes the formal presentation method rather than the content itself.
Common phrases
- epistolary novel
- epistolary form
- epistolary fiction
- epistolary narrative
- told in epistolary style
Synonyms
letter-based · correspondence-based
Word family
epistle · epistolary
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse epistolary with epistemic (relating to knowledge) due to phonetic similarity; epistolary specifically concerns letters and correspondence.
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