epigraphy
|e-pig-ra-phy|
/ɪˈpɪɡrəfi/
the scholarly study of inscriptions
Etymology
'epigraphy' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'epigraphē' ('inscription'), from 'epi-' ('on, upon') and 'graphein' ('to write'), likely via French 'épigraphie'.
'epigraphē' in Greek influenced French 'épigraphie', which entered English as 'epigraphy' in the 18th–19th centuries, becoming the modern English term.
Initially, it meant 'writing upon; an inscription,' and in modern usage it has specialized to the scholarly study of inscriptions and, by extension, the collective body or style of inscriptions.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the study and interpretation of inscriptions (especially ancient ones) carved, incised, or written on durable materials.
Epigraphy helps historians reconstruct political and linguistic histories from stone and metal records.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the inscriptions of a particular culture, period, or monument considered collectively, or their characteristic style.
The epigraphy of the temple suggests a date in the 3rd century CE.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/12 04:43