missive

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“
Monsieur le Curé; and before the amazing tidings in the missive could be assimilated another letter -- a feeble scrawl -- followed.

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Definitions (9)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. noun A written message; a letter. See Synonyms at letter.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (5)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (2)

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Examples (50)

  • To deliver such a missive was the object of his present visit The structure which housed the radio apparatus was not an imposing building. —  012 - The Man Who Shook The Earth
  • This missive was accompanied by a long letter, dated Nov. —  Little Memoirs of the Nineteenth Century
  • The author of the missive was a big man and a strong one, as denoted by his forceful strokes. —  008 - The Sargasso Ogre
  • The missive is the latest salvo in the uproar over Walpin's firing earlier this month.
  • Almost immediately after his missive, the Jays went into a tailspin in which they were swept in three straight series. —  Bluebird Banter
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Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

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Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. From Middle English (letter) missive, (letter) sent (by superior authority), from Medieval Latin (litterae) missīvae, feminine pl. of missīvus, sent, from Latin missus, past participle of mittere, to send.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. from French missif (feminine missive, n., orig. and now only as adjective, in lettre missive, a letter missive) = Provencal missiu = Spanish misivo = Portuguese Italian missiro, from Middle Latin missirus, sent, for sending, feminine sing, or neuter plural missiva, a letter sent, from Latin mittere, past participle missus, send: see mission.
 

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/ˈmɪsɪv/
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