Epopees

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Long narrative poems that recount heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation ; extended poetic tales focusing on grand adventures and legendary heroes ; extensive epic poems that tell stories of great valor and historic importance
2. Extended narrative poetry recounting heroic exploits and cultural lore ; lengthy poetic compositions detailing significant historical or mythic events ; grand poetic storytelling that preserves heroic narratives and traditional histories
3. Lengthy heroic poems narrating the deeds of legendary figures and momentous events ; expansive epic verse relating stories of bravery and national identity ; monumental poetic works celebrating heroic tales and cultural legacies

Etymology: "Epopees" is the plural of "epopee," a noun for a long heroic poem, and the plural form is simply the regular English way of pluralizing a word ending in a vowel sound followed by a silent "e." The singular "epopee" was borrowed from French "épopée," which carries the same sense of an extended narrative poem celebrating the deeds of heroes. The French word in turn descends from Greek, where "epopoiia" joined "epos," meaning a word, speech, or song, with a root associated with making or composing. A Greek "epopoios" was a maker of epic verse, so the word has always pointed toward the act of composition as much as toward the heroic subject matter itself.

Synonyms: epics, sagas, long poems, heroic poems