epeolatry

E1P3E1O1L1A1T1R1Y4
/ɛpiˈɒlətɹi/

noun

The worship of words.

Similar
logolatryverbolatry
OriginAncient Greek ἔπος →
Scrabble 14
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Meanings

nounepeolatry (uncountable)
  1. rareuncountableThe worship of words.

    I read my dictionary for a few more minutes, until tiredness eventually brought my epeolatry to an end for the day.

    2006, Roger Day, Anurada Negotiates Our Wobbly Planet, Lulu
    2 more examples

    Time, time only, can gradually wean us from our Epeolatry, or word-worship, by spiritualizing our ideas of the thing signified.

    1860, Oliver Wendell Holmes, The Professor at the Breakfast-table: With The Story of Iris, Ticknor and Fields, page 147

    It is said that the first requisite for a successful politician is to be able to invent nicknames for an adversary; and before now a neatly turned expression has overthrown Governments in France. Epeolatry is the fashion of the day.

    1906, Patrick Augustine Sheehan, “Emerson: Free-Thought in America”, in Early Essays and Lectures, Longmans, Green, and Company, page 45

    Synonyms: logolatry, verbolatry

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe worship of words.

Similar
logolatryverbolatry

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἔπος“word”
  2. Englishepeolatry

From Ancient Greek ἔπος (épos, “word”) + -latry (“worship of”). The first citation of the word is from Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., in his 1860 book The Professor at the Breakfast-Table.

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

epeolatry. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/epeolatry

MLA

“epeolatry.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/epeolatry. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “epeolatry,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/epeolatry.

Source: epeolatry on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.