compendious

American  

[kuhm-pen-dee-uhs] / kəmˈpɛn di əs /

adjective

1. of or like a compendium; containing the substance of a subject, often an exclusive subject, in a brief form; concise.

   a compendious history of the world.

   Synonyms:

   packed, succinct, comprehensive, summary

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compendious British  

/ kəmˈpɛndɪəs /

adjective

1. containing or stating the essentials of a subject in a concise form; succinct

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Other Word Forms

• compendiously adverb
• compendiousness noun
• uncompendious adjective

Etymology

Origin of compendious

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Latin word compendiōsus. See compendium, -ous

Explanation

The adjective compendious describes texts or speeches that are brief yet packed with useful information, without any filler. If you've ever enjoyed a book summary that saved you hours of reading, you've experienced the beauty of compendious work. When something is short and to the point, giving all the truly essential information, it's compendious. Perfect for fast learners or busy schedules, compendious content is that which cuts to the chase, offering all the critical details without wandering off topic. Whether it's a concise report, a streamlined presentation, or a condensed but comprehensive explanation, something that is compendious contains the facts with none of the fluff.

Example Sentences

Nonetheless, astronomers and astrophysicists came together to write a single compendious paper about the event.

From Science Magazine • Oct. 16, 2017

It may be odd not to find it in this compendious store of resonances .

From The New Yorker • Oct. 11, 2015

A compendious architectural history of these little known buildings, the book is also a document of a singular artistic and intellectual society in formation.

From New York Times • Aug. 26, 2015

Her new book, How to be a Victorian – sturdy, Beetonian, compendious – has bigger ambitions.

From The Guardian • Jul. 12, 2013

Physics shares with mathematics the advantages of succinct description and of brief, compendious definition, which precludes confusion, even in ideas where, with no apparent burdening of the brain, hosts of others are contained.

From Popular scientific lectures by Mach, Ernst