epigraph
Meaning
An inscription on a building, statue, or coin.
A short quotation or saying at the beginning of a book or chapter, suggesting its theme.
Structure
Usage
The epigraph on the monument honored the soldiers who fought there.
The novel begins with an epigraph from a Shakespearean sonnet.
Scholars studied the ancient Greek epigraph to decipher its meaning.
Etymology
The word 'epigraph' is a direct borrowing from the Greek 'epigraphē', which itself is a compound of 'epi-' (upon) and 'graphein' (to write). Its original, literal meaning was "an inscription," specifically writing carved or placed upon a surface like stone or metal. This concrete sense evolved logically into the modern literary usage. When an author places a short quotation at the opening of a text, it is conceptually "written upon" the work, serving as an introductory inscription that sets the tone or theme for what follows.
Analysis
'epi' is a Greek prefix meaning "upon, at, or close to." 'graph' is from the Greek root 'graph-' meaning "to write."