What is the name for the saying on a gravestone?

The saying or inscription on a gravestone is called an “epitaph.” An epitaph is usually a short text honoring someone who has died, although the word can also describe a memorial inscription on a plaque or monument.

Epitaphs may include a person’s name, dates of birth and death, family relationships, a religious quotation, a poem, or a personal message. Some are selected by surviving relatives, while others are written or requested by the person before death. The wording can be solemn, affectionate, humorous, or even cautionary.

The word comes through Latin from the Greek roots epi-, meaning “upon,” and taphos, meaning “tomb.” That origin reflects the original idea of words placed on or beside a burial place. “Gravestone inscription” is a plain descriptive phrase, but “epitaph” is the specific term quiz questions generally seek.

A gravestone is the physical marker itself; an epitaph is the text it may carry. Not every gravestone has an epitaph, since some display only a name and dates. One famous ancient example is the Seikilos epitaph, which preserves both a poem and a melody.