noun
epigram
EP-ih-gram/ˈepɪɡræm/
A short, witty saying or poem expressing a pointed idea.
The manuscript's epigram makes a witty reversal by admitting an inability to resist temptation.
Etymology
From 'write on,' an epigram was originally an inscription, especially verse on a tomb or monument. The name broadened to a short verse expressing an ingenious thought, then a concise, witty statement.
More examples
- The poet ends each epigram with a clever twist.
- His speech is full of sharp epigrams about wealth and power.
- She sums up their rivalry with an amusing epigram.
Forms
epigram · epigrams
epigrammatic adjective — Expressed in a brief, witty, pointed way.