epigraph.

1. A quotation or short passage placed before a work or section to frame its subject, tone, or concerns.

2. An inscription, especially one written or engraved on a building, monument, or object.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• a chapter epigraph
• choose an epigraph

On the page

The chapter epigraph suggested a betrayal the scene had not yet revealed.

She replaced the epigraph because its wit undercut the chapter’s grief.

Usage notes

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