What does "epitaph" mean?
An inscription on a gravestone in memory of the deceased.
Epitaph
/ˈɛp.ɪˌtæf/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An inscription on a gravestone in memory of the deceased.
- Grammar: epitaph is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: elegy, epigrams, grave inscription, inscription.
- Useful contrasts: oblivion.
- Usage evidence: Here lies one who meant well, tried a little, failed much: — surely that may be his epitaph of which he need not be ashamed.
How to use "epitaph"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "epitaph" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "epitaph" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "epitaph" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "epitaph" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "epitaph" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "elegy" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "epitaph", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An inscription on a gravestone in memory of the deceased.
"The church itself, or at all events the squat and tiny tower, has not altered much since Lamb saw it. But the epitaphs have gone. Search among the ivies and yews of the shady little churchyard will discover a number of flat, weatherworn slabs of stone, but the verses and the signatures have vanished."
- 2 an inscription on a tombstone or monument in memory of the person buried there wordnet
- 3 A poem or other short text written in memory of a deceased person.
"Nam vinci in amore turpissimum putant, not only living, but when their friends are dead, with tombs and monuments, nenias, epitaphs, elegies, inscriptions, pyramids, obelisks, statues, images, pictures, histories, poems, annals, feasts, anniversaries, many ages after (as Plato's scholars did) they will parentare still, omit no good office that may tend to the preservation of their names, honours, and eternal memory."
- 4 a summary statement of commemoration for a dead person wordnet
Verb
- 1 To write or speak after the manner of an epitaph. intransitive
"The Commons in their speeches epitaph upon him […] "He lived as a wolf and died as a dog.""
- 2 To commemorate by an epitaph. transitive
"Let me rather be epitaphed the inventor of the English Hexameter."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Here lies one who meant well, tried a little, failed much: — surely that may be his epitaph of which he need not be ashamed."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "epitaph"?
Common synonyms include: elegy, epigrams, grave inscription, inscription, memorial inscription, memorial poem.
How do you use "epitaph" in a sentence?
Here lies one who meant well, tried a little, failed much: — surely that may be his epitaph of which he need not be ashamed.
How do you pronounce "epitaph"?
Pronounced /ˈɛp.ɪˌtæf/.
Etymology
From Old French epitafe, from Late Latin epitaphium (“eulogy”), from Ancient Greek ἐπιτάφιος (epitáphios, “relating to a funeral”), from ἐπί (epí, “over”) + τάφος (táphos, “tomb”). By surface analysis epi- + -taph.