epigraph

noun

ep·​i·​graph ˈe-pə-ˌgraf 

1

: an engraved inscription

2

: a quotation set at the beginning of a literary work or one of its divisions to suggest its theme

Examples of epigraph in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That Blake couplet in the epigraph above runs through my head. — B. R. Cohen, Longreads, 13 Jan. 2026

In my book, the word han never appears except in the title and the epigraph. — Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026

From epigraph to last line, Lange reminds us that there are two sides to every story — and that there’s no easy path between them. — Elisabeth Egan, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2025

An epigraph offers an observation from Shakespeare’s time—that the names Hamnet and Hamlet were considered interchangeable. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 27 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Greek epigraphḗ "act of inscribing, inscription," noun of action from epigráphein "to mark the surface of, graze, scratch a mark on, inscribe" — more at epigram

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for epigraph

• autograph
• biograph
• cenotaph
• chronograph
• epitaph
• hodograph
• holograph
• hydrograph
• lithograph
• micrograph
• monograph
• multigraph