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:
She is the epitome of the way Christianity was able to grow in South America by adapting belief symbols already accepted by indigenous inhabitants.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Surely the currency on which our economy runs is the epitome of a public good?
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 25, 2026
Davidson also revealed that the home is the epitome of privacy, as it is an acre from the road.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 16, 2026
"They're the epitome of what a family should be," Benic said.
From BBC ● Apr. 16, 2026
Our lack of brothers and sisters makes it easier to imagine that we are the epitome of creation, and that a chasm separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
These are not the complex epitomes that show the extent of a wine’s potential.
From New York Times ● Apr. 2, 2020
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
I read Paradise Lost, or Richard III, it is clear that Milton and Shakespeare took real pleasure and satisfaction from creating these epitomes of evil.
From The Guardian ● May 15, 2013
Sometimes the very men who became epitomes of chivalric virtue turned away from its presumptions in disgust.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 22, 2011
Most of the events mentioned happened in the mate's boat, but the experience of the boat epitomes that of the others.
From South American Fights and Fighters And Other Tales of Adventure by Brady, Cyrus Townsend
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.
