epigram.

A short statement or poem whose compact phrasing delivers a pointed, witty, or memorable observation.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• a witty epigram
• an epigram on vanity

On the page

Her epigram made the audience laugh before they recognized themselves in it.

He revised the epigram until the last word carried the accusation.

Usage notes

Primary category: literary. Forms: Singular epigram; plural epigrams. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings.