Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To write or deliver a postil.
  • To explain or illustrate by a postil.
  • noun A note or comment on some passage of Scripture, written in the margin of a Bible, and so called because it followed the text; any explanatory remark or comment on the text of the Bible; hence, any marginal note.
  • noun A series of comments, specifically on Scripture; a commentary, or written exposition.
  • noun A sermon or homily; specifically, a homily following and treating of the liturgical gospel; also, a collection of such homilies.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Originally, an explanatory note in the margin of the Bible, so called because written after the text; hence, a marginal note; a comment.
  • noun (R. C. Ch. & Luth. Ch.) A short homily or commentary on a passage of Scripture.
  • intransitive verb To write postils, or marginal notes; to comment; to postillate.
  • transitive verb To write marginal or explanatory notes on; to gloss.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun archaic A Bible commentary written in its margins.
  • noun A marginal note.
  • noun A short homily or commentary on a passage of Scripture.
  • noun A collection of homilies.
  • verb transitive To write marginal or explanatory notes on; to gloss.
  • verb intransitive To write postils, or marginal notes; to comment; to postillate.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French postille ("marginal note"), from Late Latin postilla, probably from post illa (verba) ("after those (words)")

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Late Latin postillo

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Examples

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Comments

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  • Note in margin; comment. (From Luciferous Logolepsy)

    Now Wordie users can be considering "Going Postil".

    July 6, 2008