Part 789

Ep`i*ge"ous (?), a. Same as Epigæous.

||Ep*i*ge"um (?), n. [NL. See Epigee.] See Perigee. [Obs.]

Ep`i*glot"tic (?), a. (Anat.) Pertaining to, or connected with, the epiglottis.

Ep`i*glot*tid"e*an (?), a. (Anat.) Same as Epiglottic.

Ep`i*glot"tis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;; 'epi` upon + &?;, &?;, tongue. See Glottis.] (Anat.) A cartilaginous lidlike appendage which closes the glottis while food or drink is passing while food or drink is passing through the pharynx.

E*pig"na*thous (?), a. [Epi- + Gr. gna`qos the jaw.] (Zoöl.) Hook- billed; having the upper mandible longer than the lower.

Ep"i*gram (?), n. [L. epigramma, fr. Gr. &?; inscription, epigram, fr. &?; to write upon, 'epi` upon + &?; to write: cf. F. épigramme. See Graphic.] 1. A short poem treating concisely and pointedly of a single thought or event. The modern epigram is so contrived as to surprise the reader with a witticism or ingenious turn of thought, and is often satirical in character.

Dost thou think I care for a satire or an epigram?

Shak.

Epigrams were originally inscription on tombs, statues, temples, triumphal arches, etc.

2. An effusion of wit; a bright thought tersely and sharply expressed, whether in verse or prose.

3. The style of the epigram.

Antithesis, i. e., bilateral stroke, is the soul of epigram in its later and technical signification.

B. Cracroft.

{ Ep`i*gram*mat"ic (?), Ep`i*gram*mat"ic*al (?), }[L. epigrammaticus: cf. F. épigrammatique.] 1. Writing epigrams; dealing in epigrams; as, an epigrammatical poet.

2. Suitable to epigrams; belonging to epigrams; like an epigram; pointed; piquant; as, epigrammatic style, wit, or sallies of fancy.

Ep`i*gram*mat"ic*al*ly, adv. In the way of epigram; in an epigrammatic style.

Ep`i*gram"ma*tist (?), n. [L. epigrammatista: cf. F. épigrammatiste.] One who composes epigrams, or makes use of them.

The brisk epigrammatist showing off his own cleverness.

Holmes.

Ep`i*gram"ma*tize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Epigrammatized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Epigrammatizing (?).] To represent by epigrams; to express by epigrams.

Ep`i*gram"ma*ti`zer (?), n. One who writes in an affectedly pointed style.

Epigrammatizers of our English prose style.

Coleridge.

Ep"i*gram`mist (?), n. An epigrammatist. Jer. Taylor.

Ep"i*graph (?), n. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?;: cf. F. épigraphe. See Epigram.] 1. Any inscription set upon a building; especially, one which has to do with the building itself, its founding or dedication.

2. (Literature) A citation from some author, or a sentence framed for the purpose, placed at the beginning of a work or of its separate divisions; a motto.

{ Ep`i*graph"ic (?), Ep`i*graph"ic*al (?), } a. Of or pertaining to epigraphs or to epigraphy; as, an epigraphic style; epigraphical works or studies.