inscription

[in-skrip-shuhn]

noun

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

/ 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

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of inscription¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of inscription¹

C14: from Latin inscriptiō a writing upon, from inscrībere to write upon, from _in- ² + scrībere to write

Example Sentences

As I study the sword, glowing white inscriptions appear on the obsidian blade.

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They, in turn, called in a host of experts to analyze what was revealed to be a bundle of cogwheels and dials with inscriptions.

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Among the stolen goods were six valuable watches, including one from the set of “John Wick” with an inscription on the back, according to the FBI.

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These are some of the elements I will be using for the inscriptions on the sides of the obelisk.

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He added they could sadly no longer read the inscription because the tomb had been reduced to a "pile of rubble".

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Related Words

• caption 
• engraving 
• epitaph 
• lettering 
• signature