A short, witty, and memorable statement or poem, often with a surprising twist or clever ending.
From Greek 'epigraphein' meaning 'to write upon' or 'inscribe' (epi- 'upon' + graphein 'to write'). Originally these were short inscriptions on monuments, then evolved to mean any brief witty saying or satirical verse.
Epigrams started as writing carved on tombstones and buildings, which is why they're so short and punchy—you couldn't exactly carve a novel into marble, so people learned to make every word count.
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