Obs. Also 5–6 apostylesse, -tlesse, -telesse. [a. OFr. *apostlesse (14th c. apostresse): see APOSTLE and -ESS; assimilated in Eng. to L. apostolus, apostola.] A female apostle.
c. 1410. Love, Bonavent. Myrr., lvii. (Gibbs MS.), 111. Mawdeleyne þe bylouede discyplesse and of þe apostoles apostolesse [v.r. apostelesse, -tlesse].
1652. Sparke, Prim. Devot. (1663), 260. Mary Magdalen, Apostolorum Apostola (as Cajetan calleth her), she was the first preacher of the Resurrection, the Apostoless of the Apostles.
