epitaphology

Noun

epitaphology (uncountable)

1. The study of epitaphs.
   • Flattering epitaphology, though Drydens composed it, and polished Aberdeen granite, though Angelos chiseled it, could never atone for unkindnesses to the living.1880 October 5, “Marriage: Was the Subject of Talmage’s Sunday Morning Sermon, Taking for His Text the Passage from Genesis, “This is Bone of My Bone and Flesh of My Flesh.” […]”, in The Memphis...
   • At least consider what you’d write in your own will, or on your own stone. It could happen, after all, in 50 year, as your hour draws near, there’ll be a sociological sub-section – epitaphology – the study of your documented life: socio-ethical values decipherable in your tombstone script – and...1987, “Epiphany xi”, in Barry Callaghan, transl., Flowers of Ice, Toronto, Ont.: Exile Editions, translation of original by Imants Ziedonis, →ISBN, page 103