A phrase or inscription written in memory of a person who has died, typically carved on their tombstone.
From Greek 'epitaphion' meaning funeral oration, composed of 'epi' (upon) and 'taphos' (tomb). The word entered English via Latin in the 14th century.
Some of history's most memorable epitaphs are surprisingly humorous - like comedian Spike Milligan's 'I told you I was ill' or writer Dorothy Parker's suggested 'Excuse my dust.' The brevity required for tombstone inscriptions has created a unique literary form that must capture a life's essence in just a few words.
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