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

The store spotlights the brand’s Bespoke Walton collection with a trolley, travel bags, totes and vanity cases which can all be personalized with letters and inscriptions. —Tianwei Zhang, WWD, 21 Feb. 2025

Fallen pieces of plaster found in the burial chamber were restored by the team, however, who identified blue inscriptions, yellow star motifs, and parts of the Book of Amduat, an important funeral text placed in ancient Egyptian royal tombs. —Francesca Aton For Artnews, Robb Report, 20 Feb. 2025

Among them were remnants of plaster featuring blue inscriptions, yellow star motifs, and portions of the Book of Amduat, a religious text associated with ancient Egyptian royal tombs. —Rosa Rahimi, CNN, 19 Feb. 2025

The wallet is made from the animal skin drumhead of a drum carried by his regiment detailed with ink inscriptions containing a pocket-sized almanac and wartime papers inside the wallet. —Ashley J. Dimella Fox News, Fox News, 22 Dec. 2024

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