epic

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ep·ic

(ĕp′ĭk)

1. An extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language, celebrating the feats of a legendary or traditional hero.

2. A literary or dramatic composition that resembles an extended narrative poem celebrating heroic feats.

3. A series of events considered appropriate to an epic: the epic of the Old West.

adj.

1. Of, constituting, having to do with, or suggestive of a literary epic: an epic poem.

2. Surpassing the usual or ordinary, particularly in scope or size: "A vast musical panorama ... it requires an epic musical understanding to do it justice" (Tim Page).

3. Heroic and impressive in quality: "Here in the courtroom ... there was more of that epic atmosphere, the extra amperage of a special moment" (Scott Turow).

[From Latin epicus, from Greek epikos, from epos, word, song; see wek^w- in Indo-European roots.]

ep′i·cal·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

epic

(ˈɛpɪk)

1. (Poetry) a long narrative poem recounting in elevated style the deeds of a legendary hero, esp one originating in oral folk tradition

2. (Poetry) the genre of epic poetry

3. (Art Terms) any work of literature, film, etc, having heroic deeds for its subject matter or having other qualities associated with the epic: a Hollywood epic.

4. an episode in the lives of men in which heroic deeds are performed or attempted: the epic of Scott's expedition to the South Pole.

adj

5. denoting, relating to, or characteristic of an epic or epics

6. of heroic or impressive proportions: an epic voyage.

[C16: from Latin epicus, from Greek epikos, from epos speech, word, song]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ep•ic

(ˈɛp ɪk)

adj. Also, ep′i•cal.

1. of or pertaining to a long poetic composition, usu. centered upon a hero, in which a series of great achievements or events is narrated in elevated style: The Iliad is an epic poem.

2. resembling or suggesting such poetry: an epic novel.

3. heroic; majestic; impressively great.

4. of unusually great size or extent: a crime wave of epic proportions.

5. an epic poem.

6. epic poetry.

7. a novel, film, etc., resembling or suggesting an epic.

8. something worthy to form the subject of an epic.

[1580–90; < Latin epicus < Greek epikós. See epos, -ic]

ep′i•cal•ly, adv.

epic

A long narrative poem usually concerning a central character of heroic stature, or incidents of national or tribal importance.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	epic - a long narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds epic poem, heroic poem, epos poem, verse form - a composition written in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines chanson de geste - Old French epic poems rhapsody - an epic poem adapted for recitation heroic, heroic meter, heroic verse - a verse form suited to the treatment of heroic or elevated themes; dactylic hexameter or iambic pentameter
Adj.	1.	epic - very imposing or impressive; surpassing the ordinary (especially in size or scale); "an epic voyage"; "of heroic proportions"; "heroic sculpture" heroic, larger-than-life big, large - above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent; "a large city"; "set out for the big city"; "a large sum"; "a big (or large) barn"; "a large family"; "big businesses"; "a big expenditure"; "a large number of newspapers"; "a big group of scientists"; "large areas of the world"
	2.	epic - constituting or having to do with or suggestive of a literary epic; "epic tradition" epical

epic

noun

1. saga, legend, adventure, chronicle, long story, long poem the Anglo-Saxon epic, `Beowulf'

adjective

1. long, great, grand, extended, classic, impressive, noble, elevated, lofty, high-flown, grandiose, exalted an epic romance

2. heroic, long, great, vast, impressive, ambitious an epic journey

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

Spanish / Español

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epopeya poema épico

epic

[ˈepɪk]

A. ADJ → épico (fig) → excepcional, épico

B. N → epopeya f; (= film) → película f épica

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

epic

(ˈepik) noun

1. a long poem telling a story of great deeds. epopeya, poema épico

2. a long story, film etc telling of great deeds especially historic. epopeya

References in classic literature ?

No fragments which can be identified as belonging to the first period survive to give us even a general idea of the history of the earliest epic, and we are therefore thrown back upon the evidence of analogy from other forms of literature and of inference from the two great epics which have come down to us.

The early Greek epic -- that is, poetry as a natural and popular, and not (as it became later) an artificial and academic literary form -- passed through the usual three phases, of development, of maturity, and of decline.

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Twenty years before the thought had come to him that he would write a grand epic. We have scarcely spoken of an epic since that first of all our epics, the Story of Beowulf.

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Epic poetry and Tragedy, Comedy also and Dithyrambic: poetry, and the music of the flute and of the lyre in most of their forms, are all in their general conception modes of imitation.

People do, indeed, add the word 'maker' or 'poet' to the name of the metre, and speak of elegiac poets, or epic (that is, hexameter) poets, as if it were not the imitation that makes the poet, but the verse that entitles them all indiscriminately to the name.

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Theresa's passionate, ideal nature demanded an epic life: what were many-volumed romances of chivalry and the social conquests of a brilliant girl to her?

Many Theresas have been born who found for themselves no epic life wherein there was a constant unfolding of far-resonant action; perhaps only a life of mistakes, the offspring of a certain spiritual grandeur ill-matched with the meanness of opportunity; perhaps a tragic failure which found no sacred poet and sank unwept into oblivion.

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It follows from all this that the ultimate, aggregate, or absolute effect of even the best epic under the sun, is a nullity: -- and this is precisely the fact.

In regard to the Iliad, we have, if not positive proof, at least very good reason for believing it intended as a series of lyrics; but, granting the epic intention, I can say only that the work is based in an imperfect sense of art.

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Out of the popular ballads, or, chiefly, of the minstrel poetry which is partly based on them, regularly develops epic poetry.

By far the most important remaining example is the epic 'Beowulf,' of about three thousand lines.

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The British Constitution was to Montesquieu what Homer has been to the didactic writers on epic poetry.

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