epigone

noun

ep·​i·​gone ˈe-pə-ˌgōn 

: follower, disciple

also : an inferior imitator

epigonic

ˌe-pə-ˈgä-nik 

adjective

or epigonous

i-ˈpi-gə-nəs 

e-

epigonism

i-ˈpi-gə-ˌni-zəm 

e-

noun

Did you know?

English borrowed "epigone" from German in the 19th century. The Germans themselves had taken the word from the Latin epigonus, which means "successor." The Latin term followed the Greek epigonos, which was often used in plural to designate the sons of seven legendary Greek leaders who were defeated at Thebes. "Epigonos" in turn came from the Greek verb epigignesthai, meaning "to be born after." "Epi-" can mean "after," and gignesthai means "to be born."

Synonyms

• acolyte
• adherent
• convert
• disciple
• follower
• liege man
• partisan
• partizan
• pupil
• votarist
• votary

Examples of epigone in a Sentence

few of director Alfred Hitchcock's many epigones possess quite the same wit or style as the master

Recent Examples on the Web

But clearly no cautious epigone, Dawson responded to Dvorak’s charge with results that are entirely his own. —Jeremy Eichler, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Mar. 2023

Ms. Yamaguchi is an heir of Tamara de Lempicka, epigone of Art Deco figuration. —Roberta Smith, New York Times, 13 July 2017

That became the conventional wisdom once their stateside epigones took up the cry. —Tom Carson, New York Times, 1 June 2016

Word History

Etymology

German, from Latin epigonus successor, from Greek epigonos, from epigignesthai to be born after, from epi- + gignesthai to be born — more at kin

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined above

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