[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/epic/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [E](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/e/) / epic

# epic

noun (epic, epics); adjective (epic, more epic)

«epic» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (noun) A long poem or story about the adventures of heroes, often in ancient times, such as the Odyssey or Beowulf. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/epic/#m1)
2. (noun) A long film or book about big, exciting events. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/epic/#m2)
3. (adjective) Very big, long, brave or impressive: «an epic journey». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/epic/#m3)
4. (adjective, slang) Really great, amazing: «That party was epic!» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/epic/#m4)
5. (adjective, slang) «epic fail» — a huge, funny failure. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/epic/#m5)

### In the lessons

In English and history: epic poems (the Iliad, the Odyssey, Beowulf, Gilgamesh), heroes and quests. In everyday and children's slang: «epic» for anything brilliant. Phrases: «an epic journey», «epic battle», «epic fail» (slang), «of epic proportions».

### Examples

- Beowulf is an old English epic about a hero who fights a monster. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/epic/#x1)
- Homer's Odyssey is an epic poem. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/epic/#x2)
- The explorers made an epic journey across the ice. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/epic/#x3)
- We watched an epic film about knights and dragons. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/epic/#x4)
- That water fight was epic! (slang) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/epic/#x5)
- Falling in the pond in my new clothes was an epic fail. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/epic/#x6)
- The final was an epic battle that went to penalties. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/epic/#x7)
- CALLIOPE, the most honoured of the Muses, presided over heroic song and epic poetry, and is represented with a pencil in her hand, and a slate upon her knee. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/epic/#x8)

### Note

Countable noun. The slang senses («epic!», «epic fail») are informal — not for formal writing. Do not confuse with «epoch» (a long period of time). Adjective form also «epical» (rare).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «epic» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/epic/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«epic» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/epic.html) on Mova free.