compendium
Americannoun
-
a brief treatment or account of a subject, especially an extensive subject; concise treatise.
a compendium of medicine.
- Synonyms:
- conspectus, digest, survey
-
a summary, epitome, or abridgment.
-
a full list or inventory.
a compendium of their complaints.
noun
-
a book containing a collection of useful hints
-
a selection, esp of different games or other objects in one container
-
a concise but comprehensive summary of a larger work
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of compendium
1575–85; < Latin: gain, saving, shortcut, abridgment, equivalent to com- com- + pend- (stem of pendere to cause to hang down, weigh) + -ium -ium
Explanation
When you search an online encyclopedia, you are searching a compendium of information on just about everything. A compendium is a comprehensive collection of something. You can also use the word compendium to describe a collection of written works. If you gather all of the anecdotes your parents and grandparents have told you into a book, you'll have created a compendium of family stories. The plural of compendium is either compendiums or compendia.
Vocabulary lists containing compendium
The Lightning Thief
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Born a Crime
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It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The organisation wants to see the Crown Court Compendium, which provides guidance on directing the jury, updated with the latest research into understanding sexual violence.
From BBC • Oct. 21, 2024
He carries with him his beloved book, “Professor Abacus Abernathe’s Compendium of Heroes, Adventurers, and Other Intrepid Travelers.”
From Seattle Times • Sep. 24, 2021
Around 400 animals were cited in the 16th century "Compendium of Materia Medica," for example, whereas more than 2,300 are listed today in pharmacopeias.
From Salon • Jul. 16, 2021
According to The Supreme Court Compendium, this is a higher rejection rate than that of any other federal office.
From Slate • Mar. 24, 2016
There was an advertisement for Hermes Delivery Service, and another for the All-New Compendium of L.A.
From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
