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• précis
  précis

  noun

  a concise summary.
• precis
  precis

  noun

  a summary of the essentials of a text; abstract

précis

American  

[prey-see, prey-see] / preɪˈsi, ˈpreɪ si /

noun

plural

précis

1. a concise summary.

   Synonyms:

   abstract, condensation, digest

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verb (used with object)

1. to make a précis of.

precis British  

/ ˈpreɪsiː /

noun

1. a summary of the essentials of a text; abstract

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verb

1. (tr) to make a precis of

Etymology

Origin of précis

1750–60; < French, noun use of adj., literally, cut short. See precise

Explanation

A precis is a summary of something's main points. If you've ever jotted down notes about your main ideas before writing a persuasive essay, you've used a precis. Precis looks like precise, and of course, you always want your precis to be precise. But the words are pronounced differently. Precis comes from the French word précis, so say it like this: "PRAY see." Or you can accent the other syllable: "pray SEE." The s is only pronounced if the word is plural: "PRAY sees." The spelling stays the same.

Example Sentences

A Precis of the Arguments: There are actually three related arguments, aside from the tactics issues, which I’ll address in a bit.

From Forbes • Oct. 13, 2014

Precis Theorique et Pratique, sur les Maladies de la Peau.

From North American Medical and Surgical Journal, Vol. 2, No. 3, July, 1826 by Bache, Franklin

For France, P. Viollet, Precis de l'histoire du droit francais.

From Mutual Aid; a factor of evolution by Kropotkin, Petr Alekseevich, kniaz

Extract from the Precis of the ordinary Diet, held in the City of Nimeguen, in the month of April, 1782.

From The Medallic History of the United States of America 1776-1876 by Jacquemart, Jules-Ferdinand

And so Mr. Precis bethought himself that he also, if unsuccessful, would go to the Lords of the Treasury.

From The Three Clerks by Trollope, Anthony