epitome

[ ih-pit-uh-mee ]
/ ɪˈpɪt ə mi /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR epitome ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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.
a condensed account, especially of a literary work; abstract.

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Origin of epitome

1520–30; <Latin epitomē abridgment <Greek epitomḗ abridgment, surface incision. See epi-, -tome

OTHER WORDS FROM epitome

ep·i·tom·i·cal [ep-i-tom-i-kuhl], /ˌɛp ɪˈtɒm ɪ kəl/, ep·i·tom·ic, adjective

Words nearby epitome

epitheliomatous, epitheliomuscular, epithelium, epithelization, epithet, epitome, epitomist, epitomize, epitope, epitrachelion, epitrichium
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to epitome

exemplar, essence, embodiment, personification, apotheosis, type, illustration, quintessence, ultimate, representation, archetype, exemplification, typification, compendium, condensation, recapitulation, abstract, brief, summary, syllabus

Example sentences from the Web for epitome

British Dictionary definitions for epitome

epitome
/ (ɪˈpɪtəmɪ) /

noun

a typical example of a characteristic or class; embodiment; personificationhe is the epitome of sloth
a summary of a written work; abstract

Derived forms of epitome

epitomical (ˌɛpɪˈtɒmɪkəl) or epitomic, adjective

Word Origin for epitome

C16: via Latin from Greek epitomē, from epitemnein to abridge, from epi- + temnein to cut
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012