epitome
Americannoun
-
a person or thing that is typical of or possesses to a high degree the features of a whole class.
He is the epitome of goodness.
- Synonyms:
- quintessence, typification, model, exemplification, embodiment
-
a condensed account, especially of a literary work; abstract.
noun
-
a typical example of a characteristic or class; embodiment; personification
he is the epitome of sloth
-
a summary of a written work; abstract
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of epitome
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin epitomē “abridgment,” from Greek epitomḗ “abridgment, surface incision,” equivalent to epi- + -tome
Explanation
If you're talking about a typical example of something, call it the epitome. The cartoon character Garfield is the epitome of the lazy, food-obsessed cat. Coming to us from Greek through Latin, epitome refers to something that is the ultimate representative of its class. Are you the epitome of the hard-working student or do you believe in study in moderation? Make sure you pronounce epitome with the accent on the second syllable (uh-PIH-tuh-mee).
Vocabulary lists containing epitome
100 Words to Make You Sound Smart
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "E"
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Sapiens
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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.
See Examples For:
Meanwhile, the primary suite is the epitome of luxury, featuring a private sitting area, steam shower, and balcony overlooking the picturesque grounds.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
"He was the epitome of a successful man."
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
Today, it’s been adopted as a quasi-anthem for the U.S. and the epitome of American progressivism.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
“The U.S. is the epitome of the trend, but it’s not unique to the U.S.,” said Thibault Camelli, a former French diplomat now at New York University and an authority on U.N. budgeting.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026
Surely, I thought, this is the epitome of evil: Byron De La Beckwith.
From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry
To present its hippest neighborhoods as epitomes of a cosmopolitanism that hasn’t turned its back on tradition.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 25, 2017
I think that is especially apropos for this epoch in our country and I hope everyone votes for whom they think epitomes that sentiment--regardless of political party of affiliation.
From New York Times ● Apr. 19, 2016
“Symphony in C” has long been one of the epitomes of high-orthodox ballet classicism.
From New York Times ● May 22, 2013
Sometimes the very men who became epitomes of chivalric virtue turned away from its presumptions in disgust.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 22, 2011
Set these one against the other, and you will confess that the utterances of Deuteronomy are wonderful anticipations of the future, succinct epitomes of centuries yet to come.
From Sermons by Lightfoot, J. B.
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.
