epitaph
/ˈɛp.ɪˌtæf/noun, verb
epitaph is spelled E-P-I-T-A-P-H: 7 letters and 3 syllables. It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 35,748th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, epitaph means “An inscription on a gravestone in memory of the deceased” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of epitaph is epitaphs.
How many letters and syllables are in epitaph?
| Letters | 7: E-P-I-T-A-P-H |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 1 million words; the 35,748th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is epitaph?
Epitaph appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 35,748th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce epitaph?
- UK /ˈɛp.ɪˌtɑːf/
- US /ˈɛp.ɪˌtæf/
Epitaph has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-epitaph.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of epitaph
- epitaphs plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- epitaphing participle, present
- epitaphed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does epitaph mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
An inscription on a gravestone in memory of the deceased.
- 2
A poem or other short text written in memory of a deceased person.
verb
- 1
To write or speak after the manner of an epitaph.
- 2
To commemorate by an epitaph.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Epitaph in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | épitaphe |
| German | Grabinschrift, Epitaph , Nachruf, Gedenkschrift, Elegie, Gedenkgedicht |
| Portuguese | epitáfio |
| Spanish | epitafio |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does epitaph come from?
From Old French epitafe, from Late Latin epitaphium (“eulogy”), from Ancient Greek ἐπιτάφιος (epitáphios, “relating to a funeral”), from ἐπί (epí, “over”) + τάφος (táphos, “tomb”). By surface analysis epi- + -taph.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).