epic
Americanadjective
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noting or pertaining to a long poetic composition, usually centered upon a hero, in which a series of great achievements or events is narrated in elevated style.
Homer's Iliad is an epic poem.
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resembling or suggesting such poetry.
an epic novel on the founding of the country.
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heroic; majestic; impressively great.
the epic events of the war.
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of unusually great size or extent.
a crime wave of epic proportions.
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Slang. very impressive; spectacular; awesome.
Their burgers and fries are epic!
adverb
noun
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epics
plural
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an epic poem.
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epic poetry.
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any composition resembling an epic.
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something worthy to form the subject of an epic.
The defense of the Alamo is an American epic.
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Also called Old Ionic. Epic. the Greek dialect represented in the Iliad and the Odyssey, apparently Aeolic modified by Ionic.
noun
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a long narrative poem recounting in elevated style the deeds of a legendary hero, esp one originating in oral folk tradition
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the genre of epic poetry
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any work of literature, film, etc, having heroic deeds for its subject matter or having other qualities associated with the epic
a Hollywood epic
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an episode in the lives of men in which heroic deeds are performed or attempted
the epic of Scott's expedition to the South Pole
adjective
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denoting, relating to, or characteristic of an epic or epics
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of heroic or impressive proportions
an epic voyage
Discover More
Figuratively, any task of great magnitude may be called “epic,” as in an “epic feat” or an “epic undertaking.”
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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epiclikeadjective
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nonepicadjective
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nonepicaladjective
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semiepicadjective
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semiepicaladjective
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superepicadjective
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unepicadjective
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epicallyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of epic
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin epicus, from Greek epikós; see epos, -ic
Explanation
An epic is a long poem or other work of art celebrating heroic feats. After you sail around the world for seven years, fighting corruption and planting vegetable gardens, some poet will surely write the epic of your adventures. Epic comes from the Greek word for song, because Greek poets like Homer sang their poems. We tend to use epic for long, ambitious novels or movies, especially if they involve a long journey. Epic can be used as an adjective to describe something historically important, lasting and complex. Perhaps your great-grandfather was a soldier in the epic struggle of World War One. Your three day, sleepless card poker game could be described as epic.
Vocabulary lists containing epic
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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AP English Lit exam terms
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Poetry: Genres
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Zhu sought out films which touch on the era-defining event, but neither epic romance Summer Palace nor the secretly filmed gay drama Lan Yu could satisfy her curiosity.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
Based on Homer's epic, Nolan's film retraces the hero Odysseus in a perilous journey to his home on the island of Ithaca after the Trojan War in the 12th century BCE.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
The decision was a fortuitous one, for Grossman’s work as a correspondent in the Soviet Union’s epic struggle against Germany would far exceed anything he might have accomplished as a soldier.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
The first Game of Thrones stage spin-off has been launched by the Royal Shakespeare Company, and the verdict from most theatre critics is that it's a worthy addition to the epic fantasy franchise.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
My epic fantasies offer the illusion of generosity but never the real thing.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
It’s believed to have first appeared in text in the Mahabharata, one of two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India.
From Salon ● Jun. 7, 2026
We asked our staffers for their dreamiest expectations and they didn’t hold back: space epics, Matt Damon in a helmet and, yes, a “Jackass” movie.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2026
The network had long built its identity on adult prestige — crime sagas, antiheroes and sprawling family epics — not stories centered on high schoolers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2026
The play will be "a rambunctious comedy of deception and disguise inspired by the grand swashbuckling epics of stage and screen", and will reach the stage in early 2027, the announcement said.
From BBC ● Mar. 11, 2026
“Sometimes the heroes in epics are assisted by eagle kings and clever monkey princes. But it’s been quite some time. The world is rusty at being dazzling, and so...here I am.”
From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
