English
epigraph
Epigraph comes from Ancient Greek ἐπιγραφή ‘inscription’, from ἐπιγράφω ‘write upon’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gerbʰ- ‘to carve’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gerbʰ-‘to carve’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*grə́pʰō‘to scratch, cut or carve into’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEγρᾰ́φω‘to draw, paint, write, etc’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐπιγράφωepigráphō‘write upon’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐπιγραφήepigraphḗ‘inscription’
- Englishtodayepigraph
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gerbʰ-‘to carve’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*grə́pʰō‘to scratch, cut or carve into’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEγρᾰ́φω‘to draw, paint, write, etc’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐπιγράφωepigráphō‘write upon’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐπιγραφήepigraphḗ‘inscription’
- Englishtodayepigraph
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gerbʰ- ‘to carve’
grammar, crawl, crab, carve, crawfish, astrophotography, 81 more
through Proto-Hellenic *grə́pʰō ‘to scratch, cut or carve into’
photo, cinema, graphic, graphite, graphene, 75 more
through Ancient Greek γρᾰ́φω ‘to draw, paint, write, etc’
photography, graffiti, graft, demography, grimoire, ultrasonography, sonography, 41 more
Today it means
noun An inscription, especially on a building.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gerbʰ- / epigraph