inscription

[ in-skrip-shuhn ]
See synonyms for: inscriptioninscriptions on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. something inscribed.

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

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

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

  3. the act of inscribing.

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

  5. British.

    • an issue of securities or stocks.

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

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

Origin of inscription

1
1350–1400; Middle English inscripcio(u)n<Latin inscrīptiōn- (stem of inscrīptiō), equivalent to inscrīpt(us) (past participle of inscrībere to inscribe) + -iōn--ion

Other words from inscription

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

Words Nearby inscription

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use inscription in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for inscription

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

  1. the act of inscribing

  2. philosophy linguistics an element of written language, esp a sentence: Compare utterance 1 (def. 3)

Origin of inscription

1
C14: from Latin inscriptiō a writing upon, from inscrībere to write upon, from in- ² + scrībere to write

Derived forms of inscription

  • inscriptional or inscriptive, adjective
  • inscriptively, adverb

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