epilogue

[ ep-uh-lawg, -log ]

noun

1. a usually short section appended to the conclusion of a book or film: Compare prologue ( def 1 ).

   The novel ends rather grimly, but the epilogue reveals that most of the characters go on to find fulfillment.

2. a later event that illuminates or reinforces the significance of an earlier set of events:

   The sad life of Tasso, the last great poet of the Italian Renaissance, was a fitting epilogue to the age, whose genius also declined into decadence.

3. a speech, usually in verse, delivered by one of the actors after the conclusion of a play. Compare prologue ( def 2 ).
4. the actor who delivers a play’s epilogue. Compare prologue ( def 3 ).

epilogue

/ ɪˈpɪlədʒɪst; ˈɛpɪˌlɒɡ /

noun

1. 1. a speech, usually in verse, addressed to the audience by an actor at the end of a play
   2. the actor speaking this
2. a short postscript to any literary work, such as a brief description of the fates of the characters in a novel
3. (esp formerly) the concluding programme of the day on a radio or television station, often having a religious content

Derived Forms

• epilogist, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of epilogue¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English epiloge, from Latin epilogus, from Greek epílogos “conclusion of a speech,” equivalent to epi- epi- + lógos “word”

Word History and Origins

Origin of epilogue¹

C15: from Latin epilogus, from Greek epilogos, from logos word, speech

Example Sentences

What followed is just a sad epilogue of court dates, hospital transfers, confusion, adult diapers, falls, agony and surrender that I want to keep separate somehow.

From Los Angeles Times

“I did write an epilogue that I gave to the actors, just to put it in their heads,” Baker says.

From Los Angeles Times

Only after reaching that height could he then find the grace to to make “Old Man River,” sung as a new hymn of somber inspiration, his epilogue, the acid trip’s final, meaningful passage.

From Los Angeles Times

It might feel as if Schuermann is on the verge of writing his own epilogue.

From Los Angeles Times

The unsettling ambiguities of the “Baby Reindeer” epilogue — the real ending, which comes after Martha is safely locked away — are a big part of what has made the show a word-of-mouth hit.

From New York Times

Related Words

• afterword
• coda
• postscript
• summation