epitaph
n.n. a short piece of writing that is put on a tombstone to remember a person who has died. It usually says something about their life or character.
n. a short inscription on a tombstone or memorial, typically summarizing the life or achievements of the deceased.
The epitaph on her grave reads 'She lived with kindness'.
The poet spent years crafting a moving epitaph for his late friend, hoping to capture his spirit in just a few lines.
While many epitaphs are simple and factual, this one is a masterful elegy that reflects the subject's lifelong dedication to social justice and the arts.
From Old French epitafe, from Late Latin epitaphium (“eulogy”), from Ancient Greek ἐπιτάφιος (epitáphios, “relating to a funeral”), from ἐπί (epí, “over”) + τάφος (táphos, “tomb”). By surface analysis epi- + -taph.