inscription

noun

in·​scrip·​tion in-ˈskrip-shən 

1

a

: something that is inscribed

also : superscription

b

: epigraph sense 2

c

: the wording on a coin, medal, seal, or currency note

2

: the dedication of a book or work of art

3

a

: the act of inscribing

b

: the entering of a name on or as if on a list : enrollment

4

British

a

: the act of inscribing securities

b

inscriptions plural : inscribed securities

inscriptional

in-ˈskrip-sh(ə-)nəl 

adjective

Did you know?

With its prefix in-, meaning "in" or "on", it's not surprising that an inscription is either written on or engraved into a surface. Inscriptions in the ancient world were always chiseled into stone, as inscriptions still may be today. The principal monument of the Vietnam memorial in Washington, D.C., for instance, is a black wall on which are inscribed the names of all the Americans who died during the war—each name in full, row upon seemingly endless row. But an inscription may also be a dedication, such as the words "For my wife" all by themselves on a page near the beginning of a book.

Examples of inscription in a Sentence

The painting had an inscription that read, “To my loving wife.”

the inscription on a stone monument

Recent Examples on the Web

This ancient inscription, carved in 196 BCE, was the key to unlocking the mystery of Egyptian hieroglyphics. —David Nikel, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025

Runic inscriptions have been found on objects such as a bone knife and iron knife from Denmark and a comb, which archeologists have dated to around 150 A.D. —Mithil Aggarwal, NBC News, 24 Feb. 2025

The clearest inscription is on the Hole 3 stone, and appears to be the rune inscriber’s signature. —Ashley Strickland, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025

The team found several fragments of an alabaster vase with an inscription that included King Thutmose II’s name and referred to him as the deceased king, officials said. —Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 18 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English inscripcioun, from Latin inscription-, inscriptio, from inscribere

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for inscription

• ascription
• conscription
• decryption
• description
• egyptian
• encryption
• prescription
• proscription
• subscription
• transcription
• circumscription
• misdescription

Kids Definition

inscription

noun

in·​scrip·​tion in-ˈskrip-shən 

: something that is inscribed

Medical Definition

inscription

noun

in·​scrip·​tion in-ˈskrip-shən 

: the part of a medical prescription that contains the names and quantities of the drugs to be compounded