epitome

See also: epítome

English

WOTD – 19 September 2010

Etymology

From Middle French, from Latin epitome, epitoma, from Ancient Greek ἐπιτομή (epitomḗ, “an abridgment, also a surface-incision”), from ἐπιτέμνω (epitémnō, “I cut upon the surface, cut short, abridge”), from ἐπί (epí) + τέμνω (témnō, “to cut”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK, US) IPA(key): /əˈpɪt.ə.mi/, /ɪˈpɪt.ə.mi/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Audio (US)(file)

Noun

epitome (plural epitomes or epitomai)

  1. The embodiment or encapsulation of a class of items.
  2. A representative example.
  3. The height; the best.
  4. A brief summary of a text.

(Can we add an example for this sense?)

Usage notes

The sense ‘the height, the best’ is considered incorrect by some; instead, 'pinnacle' may be preferred.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.

Further reading

  • epitome in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • epitome in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

Italian

Noun

epitome f (plural epitomi)

  1. epitome

Latin

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἐπιτομή (epitomḗ), from ἐπιτέμνω (epitémnō), from ἐπί (epí) + τέμνω (témnō, “to cut”).

Pronunciation

  • (Classical) IPA(key): /eˈpi.to.meː/, [ɛˈpɪ.tɔ.meː]

Noun

epitomē f (genitive epitomēs); first declension

  1. epitome, abridgement

Inflection

First declension, Greek type.

Case Singular Plural
nominative epitomē epitomae
genitive epitomēs epitomārum
dative epitomae epitomīs
accusative epitomēn epitomās
ablative epitomē epitomīs
vocative epitomē epitomae

Descendants

References

  • epitome in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • epitome in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • epitome in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
  • epitome in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • epitome in Ramminger, Johann (accessed 16 July 2016) Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700‎, pre-publication website, 2005-2016

Spanish

Verb

epitome

  1. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of epitomar.
  2. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of epitomar.
  3. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted?) present subjunctive form of epitomar.
  4. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of epitomar.
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