Epigram Definition

ĕpĭ-grăm
epigrams
noun
epigrams
A short poem with a witty or satirical point.
Webster's New World
Any terse, witty, pointed statement, often with a clever twist in thought (Ex.: “Experience is the name everyone gives to his mistakes”)
Webster's New World
Epigrammatic discourse or expression.
American Heritage
Use of the epigram.
Webster's New World

A short, witty or pithy poem.

When an epigram one's composin',
Brevity is key,
Of stanzas: one should be chosen,
And of lines: one more than three.
Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Epigram

Noun

Singular:
epigram
Plural:
epigrams

Origin of Epigram

  • Middle English from Old French epigramme from Latin epigramma from Greek from epigraphein to mark the surface, inscribe epi- epi- graphein to write gerbh- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Middle French épigramme, from Latin epigramma, from Ancient Greek ἐπίγραμμα (epigramma, “inscription”).

    From Wiktionary

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