different between inscription vs superscription

English

Etymology

From Latin ?nscr?pti?.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?n?sk??p??n/
• Rhymes: -?p??n
• Hyphenation: in?scrip?tion

Noun

inscription (countable and uncountable, plural inscriptions)

1. The act of inscribing.
2. Text carved on a wall or plaque, such as a memorial or gravestone.
3. The text on a coin.

   Synonym: legend

4. Words written in the front of a book as a dedication.

Translations

See also

• epigraph

French

Etymology

From Latin inscr?pti?, inscr?pti?nem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??s.k?ip.sj??/

Noun

inscription f (plural inscriptions)

1. registration, enrolment
2. inscription

Related terms

• inscrire

Further reading

• “inscription” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

English

Etymology

From Middle French superscription, or its source, Late Latin superscriptio, from superscribere.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /su?p??sk??p?(?)n/

Noun

superscription (countable and uncountable, plural superscriptions)

1. Something written (or engraved) on the surface, outside, or above something else; specifically, an address on a letter, envelope, etc.
   • 1930, Pearl S. Buck, East wind: west wind, Moyer Bell, page 124:

     Its superscription was my name, and the name of the sender, my mother.

   • 1983, Lawrence Durrell, Sebastian, Faber & Faber 2004 (Avignon Quintet), p. 1140:

     Schwartz glanced at the printed superscription on the envelope and grumbled as he put the envelope away in his overcoat pocket, to read at leisure.

2. An editorial addition at the beginning, often indicating the authorship of a piece.
   • 1911, Encyclopædia Britannica

     By a pure error, or perhaps through a confusion in the traditions, Achish the Philistine (of Gath, 1 Sam. xxi., xxvii.), to whom David fled, is called Abimelech in the superscription to Psalm 34.

3. The act of superscribing.

Related terms

• superscript

See also

• colophon