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

Derived Forms

• inˈscriptional, adjective
• inˈscriptively, adverb

Other Words From

• in·scription·al adjective
• in·scription·less adjective
• prein·scription noun
• super·in·scription noun

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

The “evidence” took the form of inscriptions and Norse artifacts discovered in areas of Scandinavian settlement.

From Time

Hawass’s team had found inscriptions that referred to Neit as the daughter of a pharaoh.

From Washington Post

The most significant find came in January, when archaeologists came upon inscriptions showing that the temple they were unearthing belonged to a previously unknown ancient queen.

From Washington Post

The inscriptions on the keys are laser-etched, so they won’t fade, and the aluminum design ensures longevity.

From Popular-Science

The top of the box has a flora-and-bird motif with the inspirational inscription, “We are talking about a story of love.”

From Popular-Science

Then he read the golden inscription and saw that she was a princess.

From The Daily Beast

And then, the screen cut to Rivers, posing and looking great, and one final inscription: "Joan Rivers, 1933-2014."

From The Daily Beast

Karla will use that lighter—and that inscription—in the years to come.

From The Daily Beast

The inscription will identify the period and site of the tomb.

From The Daily Beast

The inscription from Nader reads, “Grover, for the imagination.”

From The Daily Beast

Every monumental inscription should be in Latin; for that being a dead language, it will always live.

From Project Gutenberg

A stop-knob bearing the inscription, "Noli me tangere" (touch me not), was attached to the console.

From Project Gutenberg

Inscription copied, Nov. 21, 1833, from a tombstone to a fisherman in Bathford churchyard.

From Project Gutenberg

The door was white, with mouldings of gold, and the inscription above it was in golden characters.

From Project Gutenberg

The inscription of the Rupuath Rock has the words: "Two hundred and fifty years have elapsed since the departure of the teacher."

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• caption
• engraving
• epitaph
• lettering
• signature