epic English · revision 5814

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1589|origins=grc epikos}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈep.ɪk/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|epicus]], possibly through French épique,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from [[grc|ἐπικός|tr=epikós]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from [[m|grc|ἔπος|tr=épos|t=word, story, poem]] (see [[epos]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) from PIE [[ine-pro|*wekw-|t=to speak]], the source of [[voice]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of a long narrative poem about heroes, such as the ''Iliad'' or ''Beowulf'': 1589 in the OED, Barnhart and MWU, in George Puttenham's ''Arte of English Poesie''.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “grand, heroic”, like something in an epic, is from 1731.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) The noun meant an epic poet in the 1630s,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and an epic poem from 1706.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) Bulwer-Lytton used it for a story worthy of an epic in 1831,^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) and Carlyle in 1840 for any composition like an epic poem.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) ''Epic theatre'', a 20th-century term, is in the OED.^(OED 1989) In modern use the adjective also means surpassing the usual in size or scope, and impressive.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1589 – of epic poetry.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1630s – an epic poet.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1706 – an epic poem.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1731 – grand, heroic.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1831 – a story worthy of an epic.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1840 – a work like an epic.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A long [[narrative]] poem about the deeds of a hero.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A long book or film about heroic deeds or covering a long period.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A series of events worthy of an epic.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of or like an epic [[poem]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Very large, long or impressive: ''an epic journey''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[epical]]

+ * [[epically]]

+ * [[epiclike]]

+ * [[epicist]]

+ * [[nonepic]]

+ * [[superepic]]

+ * [[unepic]]

+ * [[mock epic]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[epos]]

+ * [[voice]]

+ * [[vocal]]

+ * [[orthoepy]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}