epic

1 of 2

noun

ep·​ic ˈe-pik How to pronounce epic (audio)
1
: a long narrative poem in elevated style recounting the deeds of a legendary or historical hero
the Iliad and the Odyssey are epics
2
: a work of art (such as a novel or drama) that resembles or suggests an epic
3
: a series of events or body of legend or tradition thought to form the proper subject of an epic
the epic of the winning of the West

epic

2 of 2

adjective

1
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of an epic
an epic poem
2
a
: extending beyond the usual or ordinary especially in size or scope
his genius was epicThe Times Literary Supplement (London)
b
: heroic
epical adjective
epically adverb

Did you know?

Does epic mean "impressive" or just "big"?

When epic began to be used as an adjective in English it was in specific reference to the characteristics of the type of poem that bears the same name. A couple of centuries passed, and the word’s meaning came to describe other kinds of works, aside from poetry, which had similarly grand characteristics. More recently, epic has been found used in a highly colloquial fashion, in a manner that is largely synonymous with outstanding, fabulous, or impressive. Before you pass judgment on whether this new sense of epic is acceptable to you or not, you might want to consider that all the words that this sense is synonymous with have also changed their meanings dramatically: outstanding originally described something that projected or stuck out, fabulous had to do with fables, and impressive used to mean “capable of being impressed.”

Examples of epic in a Sentence

Noun Homer's ancient Greek epic “The Odyssey”. Adjective The football game was an epic battle between two great teams. The bridge was an epic achievement. The company is engaged in an epic struggle for survival. an accomplishment of epic proportions
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The young-adult cast and a corresponding accent on power dynamics would lend the 17th century epic a more contemporary look and feel, explained show creator Alain Tasma. Ben Croll, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024 Overseas, the starry sequel to 2021's sci-fi epic based on the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert is already nearing the half a billion mark. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 17 Mar. 2024 Awarded three Oscars, the historical epic became highest-grossing film about World War II—that is, until the release of Oppenheimer. Marthe Mabille, Vogue, 12 Mar. 2024 Christopher Nolan also won best director for the historical epic, while stars Robert Downey Jr. and Cillian Murphy won best supporting actor and best actor, respectively. USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2024 In any case, Denis Villeneuve’s artful sci-fi epic has fared far better than most recent Hollywood tentpoles in China, where local interest in U.S. filmmaking has plummeted in recent years. Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024 Contrary to conventional wisdom about kids’ waning attention spans, Nolan’s three-hour epic turned out to fit right in with Gen Z’s always-scrolling viewing habits. Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 His answer was in the know-how of sailors and fishermen, in Caribbean performances derived from African masquerades and Hindu epics—in other words, intangible cultural heritage. Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2024 The sci-fi epic earned $12.3 million on Friday, down 62% from its opening day last week. J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Beginning with Martin’s finished novels, Benioff and Weiss converted the sprawling tomes into heady popcorn TV with epic battles and intimate conversations. James Poniewozik, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024 Both San Francisco shows should be nothing short of epic. Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2024 Yet while shows like The Boys and Reacher have enjoyed success, its lavishly expensive tentpole J.R.R. Tolkien epic The Rings of Power flopped. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2024 An epic dodgeball battle ensues, and, unfortunately, Mr. Hall is out. Sara C. Hahn, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2024 Homer's epic Iliad was even used to help guide them. Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 15 Mar. 2024 As the film unfolds, scenarios range from thrilling roller coaster rides to epic space battles and adventurous journeys through landscapes. The Arizona Republic, 15 Mar. 2024 That's not to mention the return of the most dangerous dark wizard of all time, culminating in an epic battle on the grounds of the school where their friendship blossomed. EW.com, 14 Mar. 2024 The team behind 2023 Japanese epic film Godzilla Minus One wore black boots and heels with Godzilla claws replacing their heels. Lindsay Kimble, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'epic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin epicus, from Greek epikos, from epos word, speech, poem — more at voice

First Known Use

Noun

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of epic was in 1583

Dictionary Entries Near epic

Cite this Entry

“Epic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epic. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

epic

1 of 2 adjective
ep·​ic ˈep-ik How to pronounce epic (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or being like an epic
an epic poem
2
: unusually long or great in size or scope
epic genius

epic

2 of 2 noun
: a long poem telling of the deeds of a hero and often centering on the ideals of a nation or culture

More from Merriam-Webster on epic

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