inscription

[ in-skrip-shuhn ]

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.

inscription

/ 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

Derived Forms

• inˈscriptively, adverb
• inˈscriptional, adjective

Other Words From

• in·scription·al adjective
• in·scription·less adjective
• prein·scription noun
• super·in·scription noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of inscription¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of inscription¹

C14: from Latin inscriptiō a writing upon, from inscrībere to write upon, from in- ² + scrībere to write

Example Sentences

The inscription on her headstone had become so illegible that, prompted by a local campaign, masonry restorers were brought in to spruce it up.

From BBC

The inscriptions were installed in 1939 as a tribute to the novelists, who were born in Bradford and raised in the village of Haworth.

From BBC

The Japanese Embassy in Berlin said in an emailed statement that the inscription on the Berlin statue — which includes the term “sexual slavery” — was “one-sided” and “inaccurate.”

From Los Angeles Times

And in a glimpse of its long-dead inhabitants, the imprint of a woman's sandal and animal footprints were found on some of the tile rejects, while another tile had a finger-made inscription.

From BBC

An inscription under the statue features the box score from that game.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• caption
• engraving
• epitaph
• lettering
• signature