epitome
epitome Lexical Profile
epitome Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person or thing that is a perfect, typical, or quintessential example of a particular quality or class.
"Her timeless wardrobe was long considered the epitome of classic elegance."
A summary or condensed account of a written work; an abstract or abridgment.
"The student read a brief epitome of the massive Roman history before consulting the original volumes."
Word Nuance & Usage
"Epitome" (meaning a typical or ideal example of a whole class) is frequently confused with "acme" or "zenith" (meaning the highest point or peak of perfection); additionally, the final "e" is pronounced as a long "ee" sound (/ɪˈpɪtəmi/).
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 16th century via Latin from Ancient Greek 'epitomē' (meaning an abridgment or surface incision), derived from 'epitemnein' (to cut short), combining 'epi-' (upon, into) and 'temnein' (to cut).