inscription

American  

[in-skrip-shuhn] / ɪnˈskrɪp ʃən /

noun

1. something inscribed.

2. a historical, religious, or other record cut, impressed, painted, or written on stone, brick, metal, or other hard surface.

3. a brief, usually informal dedication, as of a book or a work of art.

4. a note, as a dedication, that is written and signed by hand in a book.

5. the act of inscribing.

6. Pharmacology. the part of a prescription indicating the drugs and the amounts to be mixed.

7. British.

   1. an issue of securities or stocks.

   2. a block of shares in a stock, as bought or sold by one person.

8. Also called legend.  Numismatics. the lettering in the field of a coin, medal, etc.

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inscription British  

/ ɪnˈskrɪpʃən /

noun

1. something inscribed, esp words carved or engraved on a coin, tomb, etc

2. a signature or brief dedication in a book or on a work of art

3. the act of inscribing

4. philosophy linguistics an element of written language, esp a sentence Compare utterance 1

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Other Word Forms

• inscriptional adjective
• inscriptionless adjective
• inscriptively adverb
• preinscription noun
• superinscription noun

Etymology

Origin of inscription

1350–1400; Middle English inscripcio ( u ) n < Latin inscrīptiōn- (stem of inscrīptiō ), equivalent to inscrīpt ( us ) (past participle of inscrībere to inscribe ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

"With ceramic storage media, we are pursuing a similar approach to that of ancient cultures, whose inscriptions we can still read today," Kirnbauer says.

From Science Daily

Absent any contextual identity, the names and dates Mayan inscriptions reveal are simply that: names and dates.

From The Wall Street Journal

Some tasks involve translating ancient Palmyrene inscriptions, while others require identifying tiny anatomical structures in birds or analyzing detailed features of Biblical Hebrew pronunciation.

From Science Daily

It was a Showtime magic born of a commitment found in one of the two inscriptions on the statue.

From Los Angeles Times

Canoes lay in rows on the beach, bright colors and inscriptions painted on their bows.

From Literature

Related Words

• caption
• engraving
• epitaph
• lettering
• signature