inscription

American  

[in-skrip-shuhn] / ɪnˈskrɪp ʃən /

noun

• inscriptions
  plural

1. something inscribed.

2. a historical, religious, or other record cut, impressed, painted, or written on stone, brick, metal, or other hard surface.

3. a brief, usually informal dedication, as of a book or a work of art.

4. a note, as a dedication, that is written and signed by hand in a book.

5. the act of inscribing.

6. Pharmacology. the part of a prescription indicating the drugs and the amounts to be mixed.

7. British.

   1. an issue of securities or stocks.

   2. a block of shares in a stock, as bought or sold by one person.

8. Also called legend.  Numismatics. the lettering in the field of a coin, medal, etc.

---

inscription British  

/ ɪnˈskrɪpʃən /

noun

1. something inscribed, esp words carved or engraved on a coin, tomb, etc

2. a signature or brief dedication in a book or on a work of art

3. the act of inscribing

4. philosophy linguistics an element of written language, esp a sentence Compare utterance 1

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preinscription
  noun
• superinscription
  noun
• inscriptional
  adjective
• inscriptionless
  adjective
• inscriptively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• inscriptions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of inscription

1350–1400; Middle English inscripcio ( u ) n < Latin inscrīptiōn- (stem of inscrīptiō ), equivalent to inscrīpt ( us ) (past participle of inscrībere to inscribe ) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

Inscription is a fancy word for “writing” — the act of writing or a small bit of writing. You weren't excited when you received the card, but the inscription inside made you weep with emotion. Here, have a tissue. You can see the word script in inscription which can help you remember its meaning. You might find an inscription on a gravestone, on a locket, on a cufflink, or in a book. You were excited to see the inscription dedicating your friend's novel to you, until you fell asleep before page 10. Then you weren't sure what to say.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

inscription inscriptions

An inscription from Rome records the death of a girl named Antestia Glyceria at the age of 3.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

"The inscription was very beautiful," he told AFP.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

On its back, a carved inscription reads, “This Machine Kills Fascists.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026

Below that, an inscription will read: “Symbols of local worship places I took my young children to. Thanking America’s freedom of religion. And hoping for a conciliation between Islam, Christianity and other religions.”

From Salon ● Jun. 1, 2026

From the character and turn of the inscription, “Also Georgiana Wife of the Above,” I drew a childish conclusion that my mother was freckled and sickly.

From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens

There are no signatures and—except in the latest drawings—no text whatsoever: no labels, no inscriptions, no dimensions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 27, 2026

Once-common literary references to Shakespeare or Dickens have now become as obscure in the common culture as so many Mayan inscriptions.

From Salon ● Apr. 19, 2026

Paintings of the course hang on the walls, as do photographs of famous people with heartfelt inscriptions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 12, 2026

Golden inscriptions read "One Nation Under God" and "Liberty and Justice for All" on opposite sides.

From Barron's ● Apr. 11, 2026

These seem to me like the inscriptions I used to read about, carved on the stone walls of caves, or drawn with a mixture of soot and animal fat.

From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood

Related Words

• caption
• engraving
• epitaph
• lettering
• signature