epigone

1 of 2

noun (1)

ep·​i·​gone ˈe-pə-ˌgōn 

: follower, disciple

also : an inferior imitator

epigonic

ˌe-pə-ˈgä-nik 

adjective

or epigonous

i-ˈpi-gə-nəs 

e-

epigonism

i-ˈpi-gə-ˌni-zəm 

e-

noun

epigonism

2 of 2

noun (2)

epig·​o·​nism ə̇ˈpigəˌnizəm 

eˈ-;

ˈepəˌgōˌn-, 

ˈepəˌgäˌn-

plural -s

: artistic, literary, or intellectual imitation especially by a later generation than the artist, writer, or thinker imitated

your verse … supports a primitive traditionalism and epigonism

—W. R. Benét

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."

Synonyms of epigone

Noun (1)

• adherent
• disciple
• follower
• partisan

Examples of epigone in a Sentence

Noun (1)

few of director Alfred Hitchcock's many epigones possess quite the same wit or style as the master

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

But clearly no cautious epigone, Dawson responded to Dvorak’s charge with results that are entirely his own. —Jeremy Eichler, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Mar. 2023

Ms. Yamaguchi is an heir of Tamara de Lempicka, epigone of Art Deco figuration. —Roberta Smith, New York Times, 13 July 2017

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

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

Noun (1)

1865, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for epigone

• aileron
• antiphon
• autobahn
• carillon
• castellan
• celadon
• cephalon
• cynodon
• denouement
• deuteron
• echelon
• epsilon

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