inscription
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
words that are cut into a hard surface, such as a stone wall, a statue, or a metal plaque.
text engraved, etched, or carved into a durable surface like stone, metal, or wood, often for commemorative purposes.
Simple“The inscription on the old gravestone was hard to read because of the moss.”
In context“Archaeologists spent weeks cleaning the monument to reveal a Latin inscription that dated the structure to the third century.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a short message written by hand in the front of a book, usually by the author.
a brief, often personal message written or printed at the beginning of a book as a dedication or record of ownership.
Simple“The author wrote a personal inscription in my copy of her new novel.”
In context“The rare first edition was particularly valuable because it contained an intimate inscription from the poet to his sister.”
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
the words or letters stamped onto a coin or medal.
the legend or lettering struck onto the surface of a coin, medal, or token.
Simple“The silver coin had a tiny inscription around the edge.”
In context“The numismatist examined the coin's inscription to determine which mint had produced it during the emperor's reign.”
“For years, he’s been tracking Romans living near Vesuvius whose names appear in inscriptions from before 79 C.E.”
“His son soon noticed that the cork bore a very faint embossed inscription in French.”
From Latin īnscrīptiō.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.