epigram vs epigraph
epigram
Definitions
noun
- a witty saying
Examples
The prose is of a rare stateliness and intelligence, studded with clever, sometimes almost epigrammatic mots.
His fragments are in a pointed, epigrammatic style, probably due to sophistic influence.
Their quotes and epigrams take up a sometimes shocking amount of space in columns and essays.
epigraph
Definitions
noun
- a quotation at the beginning of some piece of writing
- an engraved inscription
Examples
An epigraph typically functions as a rebus for an essay, providing a gloss or indicating the author's approach.
The science of 'epigraphy' is an old one.
The epigraph, a quotation from Dante, further obscures the atmosphere.
