An inscription on a tombstone in memory of the one buried there.
A brief literary piece commemorating a deceased person.
[Middle English, from Old French epitaphe, from Latin epitaphium, from Greek epitaphion, from neuter of epitaphios, funerary : epi-, epi- + taphos, tomb.] ep'i·taph'ic adj.
1387, from O.Fr. epitaphe, from L. epitaphium "funeral oration, eulogy," from Gk. epitaphion, neut. of epitaphos "of a funeral," from epi- "at, over" + taphos "tomb, funeral rites."