epilogue

noun

ep·​i·​logue ˈe-pə-ˌlȯg How to pronounce epilogue (audio)
-ˌläg
variants or less commonly epilog
1
: a concluding section that rounds out the design of a literary work
2
a
: a speech often in verse addressed to the audience by an actor at the end of a play
also : the actor speaking such an epilogue
b
: the final scene of a play that comments on or summarizes the main action
3
: the concluding section of a musical composition : coda

Did you know?

From its Greek roots, epilogue means basically "words attached (at the end)". An epilogue often somehow wraps up a story's action, as in the one for a famous Shakespeare play that ends, "For never was a story of more woe / Than this of Juliet and her Romeo". In nonfiction books, we now often use the term afterword instead of epilogue, just as we now generally use foreword instead of prologue. Movies also often have a kind of epilogue--maybe a scene after the exciting climax when the surviving lovers meet in a café to talk about their future. The epilogue of a musical composition, after all the drama is over, is called the coda (Italian for "tail").

Examples of epilogue in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The new text foreshadows an elaborate scenic epilogue. Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 8 Jan. 2024 An epilogue then shows the future for some of these characters. EW.com, 5 Nov. 2023 The epilogue is maybe my favorite part of the book. Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 30 Jan. 2024 This includes an epilogue that feels, no pun intended, like a total cop-out. Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Feb. 2024 The unveiling also marks the epilogue of a fierce debate over how to restore the famous structure. Kelsey Ables, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2024 That release was followed by a special edition — called FES — which added an epilogue that spanned a hefty 30 hours. Andrew Webster, The Verge, 2 Feb. 2024 That’s when a short-and-sweet epilogue reveals she was eventually released from prison, returned to Medellín and was assassinated in 2012 at the age of 69. Hunter Ingram, Variety, 26 Jan. 2024 Trofimov’s book is a comprehensive account of the startling and heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people during the first year of the conflict (an epilogue briefly touches on the beginning of the 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive and the Prigozhin mutiny). Katherine Howell, National Review, 30 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'epilogue.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English epiloge, from Middle French epilogue, from Latin epilogus, from Greek epilogos, from epilegein to say in addition, from epi- + legein to say — more at legend

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of epilogue was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near epilogue

Cite this Entry

“Epilogue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epilogue. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

epilogue

noun
ep·​i·​logue
variants also epilog
1
: a final section that brings to an end and summarizes or comments on the action or characters of a story
2
: a speech often in verse addressed to the audience by an actor at the end of a play
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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