epic

[ep-ik]

adjective

1. 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.

2. resembling or suggesting such poetry.

   an epic novel on the founding of the country.

3. heroic; majestic; impressively great.

   the epic events of the war.

4. of unusually great size or extent.

   a crime wave of epic proportions.

5. Slang.,  very impressive; spectacular; awesome.

   Their burgers and fries are epic!

adverb

1. Slang.,  very; extremely.

   That's an epic cool video!

noun

1. an epic poem.

2. epic poetry.

3. any composition resembling an epic.

4. something worthy to form the subject of an epic.

   The defense of the Alamo is an American epic.

5. Also called Old Ionic. Epic. the Greek dialect represented in the Iliad and the Odyssey, apparently Aeolic modified by Ionic.

epic

/ ˈɛpɪk /

noun

1. a long narrative poem recounting in elevated style the deeds of a legendary hero, esp one originating in oral folk tradition

2. the genre of epic poetry

3. any work of literature, film, etc, having heroic deeds for its subject matter or having other qualities associated with the epic

   a Hollywood epic

4. 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

1. denoting, relating to, or characteristic of an epic or epics

2. of heroic or impressive proportions

   an epic voyage

epic

1. A long narrative poem written in elevated style, in which heroes of great historical or legendary importance perform valorous deeds. The setting is vast in scope, covering great nations, the world, or the universe, and the action is important to the history of a nation or people. The Iliad, the Odyssey, and the Aeneid are some great epics from world literature, and two great epics in English are Beowulf and Paradise Lost.

Figuratively, any task of great magnitude may be called “epic,” as in an “epic feat” or an “epic undertaking.”

Other Word Forms

• epically adverb
• epiclike adjective
• nonepic adjective
• nonepical adjective
• semiepic adjective
• semiepical adjective
• superepic adjective
• unepic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of epic¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin epicus, from Greek epikós; epos, -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of epic¹

C16: from Latin epicus, from Greek epikos, from epos speech, word, song

Example Sentences

In the aftermath of an epic disaster, you also have to wrangle with the complications of destroyed infrastructure, permitting bottlenecks, insurance disputes and scary levels of contamination.

From Los Angeles Times

The sixth series, which was broadcast in 2022, was billed at the time as the "the end of an epic story", although producers did say the story would "continue in another form".

From BBC

After an epic weekend in Ireland, the NFL roadshow makes the short trip to England to continue this season's record run of international games.

From BBC

This is his Pynchoniad, a zigzagging epic of America and the world through our bloodiest, most shameful hundred years.

From Los Angeles Times

And in Paul Thomas Anderson’s sprawling contemporary epic “One Battle After Another,” it’s startling just how comforting a cinematic hand on the shoulder can be.

From Salon

Related Words

• legend 
• narrative 
• tale