epic

Where does the word "epic" come from? It comes from Greek epikos, passing through Latin before entering English (1500s).

Epic’s story begins in Greek: epikos meant “relating to heroic verse.” From 'epos', word or song; Homer's Iliad and Odyssey were the models. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Latin as epicus. Virgil's Aeneid took up the Greek form. It reached English by 1500s as epic. Since the 1980s, casual slang for anything impressive. Today, epic means a long heroic poem; grand or impressive in scale.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient epikos "relating to heroic verse", from 'epos', word or song; Homer's Iliad and Odyssey were the models.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient epicus "epic", Virgil's Aeneid took up the Greek form.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s epic "a long heroic poem; grand", since the 1980s, casual slang for anything impressive.