From the M-W Editors
epigone was our Word of the Day on 07/21/2008. Hear the podcast!
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Examples of epigone in a Sentence
few of director Alfred Hitchcock's many epigones possess much of the master's wit or style
Did You Know?
English borrowed "epigone" from German in the 19th century. The Germans themselves had taken the word from the Latin epigonus, which means "successor." The Latin term followed the Greek epigonos, which was often used in plural to designate the sons of seven legendary Greek leaders who were defeated at Thebes. "Epigonos" in turn came from the Greek verb epigignesthai, meaning "to be born after." "Epi-" can mean "after," and gignesthai means "to be born."
Origin and Etymology of epigone
German, from Latin epigonus successor, from Greek epigonos, from epigignesthai to be born after, from epi- + gignesthai to be born — more at kin
First Known Use: 1865
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