epic

[ ep-ik ]

adjective

1. noting or pertaining to a long poetic composition, usually centered upon a hero, in which a series of great achievements or events is narrated in elevated style:

   Homer's Iliad is an epic poem.

2. resembling or suggesting such poetry:

   an epic novel on the founding of the country.

3. heroic; majestic; impressively great:

   the epic events of the war.

4. of unusually great size or extent:

   a crime wave of epic proportions.

5. Slang. very impressive; spectacular; awesome:

   Their burgers and fries are epic!

adverb

1. Slang. very; extremely:

   That's an epic cool video!

noun

1. an epic poem.
2. epic poetry.
3. any composition resembling an epic.
4. something worthy to form the subject of an epic:

   The defense of the Alamo is an American epic.

5. Epic. Also called Old Ionic. the Greek dialect represented in the Iliad and the Odyssey, apparently Aeolic modified by Ionic.

epic

/ ˈɛpɪk /

noun

1. a long narrative poem recounting in elevated style the deeds of a legendary hero, esp one originating in oral folk tradition
2. the genre of epic poetry
3. any work of literature, film, etc, having heroic deeds for its subject matter or having other qualities associated with the epic

   a Hollywood epic

4. an episode in the lives of men in which heroic deeds are performed or attempted

   the epic of Scott's expedition to the South Pole

adjective

1. denoting, relating to, or characteristic of an epic or epics
2. of heroic or impressive proportions

   an epic voyage

epic

1. A long narrative poem written in elevated style, in which heroes of great historical or legendary importance perform valorous deeds. The setting is vast in scope, covering great nations, the world, or the universe, and the action is important to the history of a nation or people. The Iliad, the Odyssey, and the Aeneidare some great epics from world literature, and two great epics in English are Beowulfand Paradise Lost.

Notes

Figuratively, any task of great magnitude may be called “epic,” as in an “epic feat” or an “epic undertaking.”

Other Words From

• ep·i·cal·ly adverb
• ep·ic·like adjective
• non·ep·ic adjective noun
• non·ep·i·cal adjective
• sem·i·ep·ic adjective noun
• sem·i·ep·i·cal adjective
• su·per·ep·ic adjective noun
• un·ep·ic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of epic¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin epicus, from Greek epikós; epos, -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of epic¹

C16: from Latin epicus, from Greek epikos, from epos speech, word, song

Example Sentences

The director’s love of opera is what makes sense of this huge, heaving epic.

From Los Angeles Times

But the jolly tone gives way to something fiercer and more appropriately epic: a galloping rhythm on the drums, insistent bass and scorching guitar notes.

From New York Times

“It will be an epic challenge,” he says, to deploy such a dense network across the high-altitude terrain with scant infrastructure.

From Science Magazine

Normal People actor Mescal is currently starring in blockbuster Gladiator II. Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated sequel following the 2000 epic has been met with a mixed response from film critics.

From BBC

For them, it was an epic loss, one that Ann Coulter, Tucker Carlson and others would still be mourning a decade later.

From Salon

Related Words

• legend
• narrative
• tale