ENGLISH
REFERENCE

epilogue

n. countable
C1 Advanced US //ˈɛpəˌɫɔɡ// UK //ˈɛpɪlˌɒɡ// epi·logue

n. a short section at the end of a book or movie that explains what happens to the characters later. It gives the story a final conclusion.

n. a concluding section of a literary work or film that serves to provide closure or commentary on the main narrative. Often used to detail the subsequent fates of characters or to tie up loose plot threads.


SIMPLE

The epilogue explains what the hero did after the war.

CONTEXTUAL

In the epilogue, the author reveals that the two main characters eventually married and moved to the countryside.

COMPLEX

While the main narrative ends on a cliffhanger, the epilogue provides a reflective look at the societal changes that occurred in the decades following the revolution.

Origin

From French épilogue, from Latin epilogus, from Ancient Greek ἐπίλογος (epílogos, “a conclusion, peroration of a speech, epilogue of a play”), from ἐπιλέγω (epilégō, “to say in addition”). Eclipsed Middle English lenvoie (“epilogue”) borrowed ultimately from Old French. Equiavlent to epi- + -logue.

Usage

Commonly used in literary and cinematic contexts; in computing, it refers to the code that cleans up a function before it returns.

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