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epic

[ ep-ik ]
/ ˈɛp ɪk /
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See synonyms for: epic / epics on Thesaurus.com
adjective Also ep·i·cal [ep-i-kuhl] /ˈɛp ɪ kəl/ .
adverb
Slang. very; extremely: That's an epic cool video!
noun
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Origin of epic

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

OTHER WORDS FROM epic

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH epic

epic , epoch
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to epic

legend, narrative, tale, saga, heroic poem

How to use epic in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for epic

epic
/ (ˈɛpɪk) /
noun
a long narrative poem recounting in elevated style the deeds of a legendary hero, esp one originating in oral folk tradition
the genre of epic poetry
any work of literature, film, etc, having heroic deeds for its subject matter or having other qualities associated with the epica Hollywood epic
an episode in the lives of men in which heroic deeds are performed or attemptedthe epic of Scott's expedition to the South Pole
adjective
denoting, relating to, or characteristic of an epic or epics
of heroic or impressive proportionsan epic voyage

Word Origin for epic

C16: from Latin epicus, from Greek epikos, from epos speech, word, song
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for epic

epic

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.

notes for epic

Figuratively, any task of great magnitude may be called “epic,” as in an “epic feat” or an “epic undertaking.”
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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