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inscription meaning and examples

2025-09-08

Meaning

An inscription is writing that is carved, engraved, or written on a surface, such as stone, metal, a monument, a book, or a piece of jewelry. It often serves as a dedication, record, or commemoration.

Grammar and Usage

  • Part of speech: Noun (countable/uncountable)

  • Typical sentence structures:

    • "an inscription on + noun"
    • "read the inscription"
    • "engrave an inscription"

Common Phrases

  • Ancient inscription
  • Latin inscription
  • Inscription on a tombstone
  • Dedication inscription in a book
  • Stone inscription

Collocations

  • Verb + inscription: read an inscription, carve an inscription, engrave an inscription, decipher an inscription
  • Adjective + inscription: ancient inscription, faded inscription, handwritten inscription, memorial inscription
  • Noun + of + inscription: translation of an inscription, study of inscriptions

Examples

  1. The inscription on the gravestone was nearly worn away by time.
  2. She read the Latin inscription carved into the marble.
  3. The archaeologists discovered an inscription dating back to the 3rd century.
  4. He wrote a personal inscription on the inside cover of the book.
  5. The gold ring bore the inscription “Forever Yours.”
  6. A bronze plaque carried an inscription honoring the war heroes.
  7. They struggled to decipher the faded inscription on the wall.
  8. The inscription gave clues about the ancient civilization.
  • engraving
  • carving
  • etching
  • dedication
  • lettering

Antonym

  • erasure
  • blank
  • omission