Misused Words: Epic

That cheeseburger you just ate??  That wasn't epic!  Neither was your bike ride, the football game, or any of the other stuff you did today that probably 75% of the population did too.  

epic |ˈepik|nouna long poem, typically one derived from ancient oral tradition, narrating the deeds and adventures of heroic or legendary figures or the history of a nation.• the genre of such poems : the romances display gentler emotions not found in Greek epic.• a long film, book, or other work portraying heroic deeds and adventures or covering an extended period of time : a Hollywood biblical epic.


(From the The New Oxford American Dictionary)

Tagged misused words

Comments (3)

Dec 05, 2009
David Writebol said...
Would a World Series lasting seven games, some with extra innings be considered 'epic?' By the way, the use of the word you are describing as misused is actually an adjective (describes a noun) not the noun form. Homer wrote epics; an epic bike ride is not a misuse of the word, but only if you rode across America, uphill both ways!

From Webster: 2 a : extending beyond the usual or ordinary especially in size or scope <his> b : heroic

Dec 16, 2009
Jeremy Writebol said...
okay okay... I lost this battle of vocabulary for sure. I submit however that I will be using the adjectival form of "epic" in a very limited capacity.
Dec 16, 2009
David Writebol said...
That's a good lad! also would limit my use of the word, as I would any superlative. I didn't know it had become 'fashionable' to use it. I must be living in a dream world. Have a great time in Missouri and don't forget to pack your long undies. Love, Dad

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