epitaph
Americannoun
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epitaphs
plural
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a commemorative inscription on a tomb or mortuary monument about the person buried at that site.
-
a brief poem or other writing in praise of a deceased person.
verb (used with object)
noun
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a commemorative inscription on a tombstone or monument
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a speech or written passage composed in commemoration of a dead person
-
a final judgment on a person or thing
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of epitaph
1350–1400; Middle English epitaphe < Latin epitaphium < Greek epitáphion over or at a tomb, equivalent to epi- epi- + táph ( os ) tomb + -ion noun, adj. suffix
Explanation
An epitaph is an inscription on a gravestone. Famous for his comedic jabs at the City of Brotherly Love, writer W.C. Fields once said he wanted "I'd rather be living in Philadelphia" as the epitaph on his tombstone. Once you trace this word back to its origins, you'll never forget its meaning. Forms of it show up in Middle English, Old French, Latin, and, before that, Greek: epi- "upon" and taphos "tomb." This gives us a mini history lesson on burial traditions. For thousands of years various societies have carved poetic, weepy, and witty words onto the monuments marking the final resting places of famous and infamous citizens.
Vocabulary lists containing epitaph
A Raisin in the Sun
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Bob Dylan Wins Nobel Prize in Literature
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Much Ado About Nothing
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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:
I hope my epitaph says something to the effect that I lived life to the fullest, taking advantage of every single moment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
I hope this doesn’t turn out to be the epitaph for the only viable political parties we have.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026
If we were to assign his TV father an epitaph, he could do a lot worse than the unvarnished speech that closes the first season.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2025
On the headstone marking his grave, the epitaph simply read “The Butler.”
From Seattle Times ● May 16, 2024
Samson Carrasco wrote an epitaph for the grave.
From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios
Hence, moviegoers understandably viewed "Let It Be," along with the film’s soundtrack, as epitaphs of sorts.
From Salon ● May 7, 2024
Maybe you’ll have time to study the graveyard epitaphs, or — if you’re really lucky — to marvel at the holographic visitors who’ve stowed away in your buggy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2023
None of the Sagalassos graves bore epitaphs, and genetic material is often destroyed by high temperatures in ancient cremations.
From New York Times ● Mar. 25, 2023
Social media erupted with epitaphs to the tiny cub.
From BBC ● Mar. 3, 2023
It was impossible, of course, to ignore the crosses, and each morning Jerry G. and Horsethief Shorty, occasionally aided by Bernabe Montoya and the state cops, had to uproot a dozen epitaphs.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
