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Which of these ancient epics is the oldest?

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epic

American  

[ep-ik] / ˈɛp ɪk /

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!

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adverb

1. Slang. very; extremely.

   That's an epic cool video!

noun

• epics
  plural

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

epic British  

/ 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

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adjective

1. denoting, relating to, or characteristic of an epic or epics

2. of heroic or impressive proportions

   an epic voyage

epic Cultural  

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 Aeneid are some great epics from world literature, and two great epics in English are Beowulf and Paradise Lost.

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Discover More

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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• epiclike
  adjective
• nonepic
  adjective
• nonepical
  adjective
• semiepic
  adjective
• semiepical
  adjective
• superepic
  adjective
• unepic
  adjective
• epically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• epics
  plural

Etymology

Origin of epic

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

Explanation

An epic is a long poem or other work of art celebrating heroic feats. After you sail around the world for seven years, fighting corruption and planting vegetable gardens, some poet will surely write the epic of your adventures. Epic comes from the Greek word for song, because Greek poets like Homer sang their poems. We tend to use epic for long, ambitious novels or movies, especially if they involve a long journey. Epic can be used as an adjective to describe something historically important, lasting and complex. Perhaps your great-grandfather was a soldier in the epic struggle of World War One. Your three day, sleepless card poker game could be described as epic.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

epic epics

Several readers wrote to us recommending Rushdie’s magical realist epic.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

Based on Homer's epic, Nolan's film retraces the hero Odysseus in a perilous journey to his home on the island of Ithaca after the Trojan War in the 12th century BCE.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

I told him I had already seen Nolan’s adaptation of the Homerian epic twice.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

The Game of Thrones origin story is epic in both ambition and execution – it has taken seven years to reach the stage, clocks in at three hours 45 minutes, and features a 36-strong cast.

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026

But even in such an epic struggle, small details and seemingly ordinary people play pivotal roles, shoving events in one direction or another.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

There’s Big Ridley, the visionary filmmaker of large-scale epics who has spent nearly 50 years creating some of the most indelible worlds in modern movies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

Damon has explained the decline of mid-sized movies and outsized epics in other venues.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026

Why the latest literary trend favors short, punchy prose over epics.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026

The play will be "a rambunctious comedy of deception and disguise inspired by the grand swashbuckling epics of stage and screen", and will reach the stage in early 2027, the announcement said.

From BBC ● Mar. 11, 2026

“This is a new age of epics, you see,” said the sage-poet.

From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi

Related Words

• legend
• narrative
• tale