DictionaryRoot: epi-
Greek
epi-
on, upon; over
Forms
- epi-
- ep- — Used before a vowel without an initial h sound in Greek.
- eph- — Used before a vowel that began with an h sound in Greek.
Origin
Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European *epi, ‘on; near.’
Note
Position on top can suggest addition, attachment, or an action directed at something.
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noun
epitaph
EP-ih-taf/ˈepɪtæf/
A brief inscription or statement commemorating a dead person or something that has ended.
Etymology
The pieces connect words with a tomb or burial. The Greek ancestor meant words spoken at a funeral; the English sense focuses on commemorative words written on or for a tombstone.
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- epitomeBrief summary
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