epic
EP-ik
/ˈɛp.ɪk/
A long poem or story narrating the heroic deeds and adventures of legendary figures or the history of a nation.
Implies vast grand scale, cultural heritage, heroic stakes, and immense heroic journey themes.
The story behind the word. Derived from Greek 'epikos', from 'epos' meaning 'word, speech, or poetic song'. Originally, epic referred specifically to heroic poetry recited aloud by bardic bards accompanied by lyres in ancient Mediterranean cultures.
Word relationships
- saga: A saga originally referred to prose histories from Scandinavia; an epic often implies poetic grand tradition.
- monumental work: 'Monumental work' describes scale without requiring heroic narrative elements.
- vignette: A vignette is a brief, delicate narrative portrait, opposite to an expansive epic.
Commonly confused with
- epoch: An epoch is a long period of time in history, while an epic is a heroic narrative work.
Word family
- epically (adverb): On an epic scale.
Collocations
- heroic epic
- epic scale
- epic poem
- epic proportions
Idioms & expressions
- of epic proportions
Example sentences
- "Homer's Odyssey is an ancient epic that shaped Western narrative traditions." Classical Literature
- "The director spent three years filming an epic historical drama across four continents." Modern Cinema
Memory hook
EPIC stories are EXPANSIVE POETRY IN CENTURIES. Epic: monumental heroic journeys.
When not to use
Avoid overusing 'epic' in formal contexts for trivial daily events (e.g., 'epic sandwich').
Fun facts
- The oldest surviving written story in human history is the 'Epic of Gilgamesh', recorded on clay tablets in ancient Mesopotamia.
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