epigram
/ˈepəɡˌɹæm/EH-puh-gram
/ˈɛpəɡˌɹæm/EH-puh-gram
Meaninginscription
Common meaning: a brief, witty remark or verse
- epiupon, onSkeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), p. 193 · scan
- gramto scratch marks, hence to write or drawLiddell & Scott, Greek-English Lexicon (1883), p. 317 · scan
‘upon, on’ + ‘to scratch marks, hence to write or draw’ → epigram
Journey through time
- epi — Greek epi- “upon, on” (path traced)
- gram — Ancient Greek γράφω (gráphō) “to scratch marks, hence to write or draw” (path traced)
Parts join in Greek as epigramma.
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Built on Greek epigramma, which Skeat analyses as epi- ‘upon, on’ + γράφειν ‘to scratch marks, hence to write or draw’.
Roots
- epigramma Greek “inscription”
- γράφω (gráphō) Ancient Greek “to scratch marks, hence to write or draw”
Related words
autobiographyautographbibliographybiographycalligraphyepigraphethnographygeographylithographmonographorthographypalaeography
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