apostolicity
|a-pos-tol-i-ci-ty|
🇺🇸
/əˌpɑːˈstɑːlɪsɪti/
🇬🇧
/əˌpɒˈstɒlɪsɪti/
quality of being apostolic
Etymology
'apostolicity' originates from Late Latin, specifically the word 'apostolicitas', where 'apostolicus' meant 'pertaining to an apostle', ultimately from Greek 'apostolos' meaning 'one sent'.
'apostolicity' changed from Late Latin 'apostolicitas' and Medieval Latin forms into Middle English (recorded as 'apostolicite' or similar), eventually becoming the modern English word 'apostolicity'.
Initially it meant 'pertaining to an apostle' or 'of the apostles'; over time it came to mean more abstractly 'the quality or condition of being apostolic' and, in church contexts, 'legitimacy through apostolic succession'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the quality or state of being apostolic; conformity to the teachings, spirit, or practices associated with the apostles.
The apostolicity of the movement was emphasized by its leaders as proof of continuity with the early church.
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Noun 2
specifically in ecclesiastical contexts: the legitimacy or authority claimed through apostolic succession or direct connection to the apostles.
Debates about the apostolicity of certain bishops centered on whether their ordinations could be traced in an unbroken line of succession.
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Last updated: 2025/09/22 09:50