epigraph

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἐπιγραφή (epigraphḗ, “inscription”), from ἐπιγράφω (epigráphō, “write upon”), from ἐπῐ- (epi-, “on, upon, over, etc.”) + γρᾰ́φω (gráphō, “to draw, paint, write, etc.”).

noun

1. An inscription, especially on a building.
2. A literary quotation placed at the beginning of a book or other text.
3. (mathematics, of a function) The set of all points lying on or above the function's graph.

verb

1. (transitive) To provide (a literary work) with an epigraph.