epitome
See also: epítome
English
editEtymology
editFrom Middle French, from Latin epitomē, from Ancient Greek ἐπιτομή (epitomḗ, “an abridgment, also a surface-incision”), from ἐπιτέμνω (epitémnō, “I cut upon the surface, cut short, abridge”), from ἐπι- (epi-, “up”) + τέμνω (témnō, “to cut”).
Pronunciation
edit- (UK, US) IPA(key): /əˈpɪt.ə.mi/, /ɪˈpɪt.ə.mi/
Audio (US): (file) Audio (US): (file) Audio (General Australian): (file)
Noun
editepitome (plural epitomes or epitomai)
- The embodiment or encapsulation of a class of items.
- Synonyms: exemplar, model, type; see also Thesaurus:exemplar, Thesaurus:model
- c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene v], page 27:
- This is a poore Epitome of yours, / Which by th'interpretation of full time, / May ſhew like all your ſelfe.
- 1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:
- But first I took up Ayesha's kirtle and the gauzy scarf with which she had been wont to hide her dazzling loveliness from the eyes of men, and, averting my head so that I might not look upon it, covered up that dreadful relic of the glorious dead, that shocking epitome of human beauty and human life.
- A representative example.
- Synonyms: quintessential, poster child; see also Thesaurus:exemplar
- 1988, “Don't Believe the Hype”, in It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, performed by Public Enemy:
- The minute they see me, fear me / I'm the epitome of "public enemy"
- The height; the best; the most vivid.
- 1831, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XVI, in Romance and Reality. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 240:
- He looks the very epitome of fright: I do not think he could eat one of those apples, if it were given him.
- A brief summary of a text.
- 1611, Thomas Coryate, Coryat's Crudities hastily gobbled up in Five Months Travels in France, Italy, &c:
- Having now so amply declared unto thee most of the principal things of this thrice-renowned and illustrious city, I will briefly by way of an epitome mention most of the other particulars thereof, and so finally shut up this narration: there are reported to be in Venice and the circumjacent islands two hundred churches in which are one hundred forth-three pairs of organs, fifty-four monasteries, twenty-six nunneries, fifty-six tribunals or places of judgment, seventeen hospitals, six companies or fraternities, whereof I have before spoken; one hundred and sixty-five marble statues of worthy personages, partly equestrial, partly pedestrial, which are erected in sundry places of the city, to the honour of those that either at home have prudently administered the commonweal, or abroad valiantly fought for the same.
Usage notes
editThe sense “the height, the best” is considered incorrect by some; instead, pinnacle may be preferred.
Antonyms
editDerived terms
editRelated terms
editTranslations
editembodiment or encapsulation of
|
representative example
|
the height; the best
summary
|
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Further reading
edit- epitome on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
- “epitome”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “epitome”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
Italian
editNoun
editepitome f (plural epitomi)
Latin
editAlternative forms
editEtymology
editFrom Ancient Greek ἐπιτομή (epitomḗ), from ἐπιτέμνω (epitémnō), from ἐπί (epí) + τέμνω (témnō, “to cut”).
Pronunciation
edit- (Classical Latin) IPA(key): /eˈpi.to.meː/, [ɛˈpɪt̪ɔmeː]
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /eˈpi.to.me/, [eˈpiːt̪ome]
Noun
editepitomē f (genitive epitomēs); first declension
Declension
editFirst-declension noun (Greek-type).
singular | plural | |
---|---|---|
nominative | epitomē | epitomae |
genitive | epitomēs | epitomārum |
dative | epitomae | epitomīs |
accusative | epitomēn | epitomās |
ablative | epitomē | epitomīs |
vocative | epitomē | epitomae |
Descendants
editReferences
edit- “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 (2016 July 16 (last accessed)) Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700[1], pre-publication website, 2005-2016
Maltese
editEtymology
editBorrowed from Italian epitome.
Pronunciation
editNoun
editepitome f (plural epitomi)
Related terms
editSpanish
editVerb
editepitome
- inflection of epitomar:
Categories:
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *temh₁-
- English terms borrowed from Middle French
- English terms derived from Middle French
- English terms derived from Latin
- English terms derived from Ancient Greek
- English 4-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio pronunciation
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English nouns with irregular plurals
- English terms with quotations
- Italian lemmas
- Italian nouns
- Italian countable nouns
- Italian feminine nouns
- Latin terms derived from Ancient Greek
- Latin 4-syllable words
- Latin terms with IPA pronunciation
- Latin lemmas
- Latin nouns
- Latin first declension nouns
- Latin feminine nouns in the first declension
- Latin feminine nouns
- Maltese terms borrowed from Italian
- Maltese terms derived from Italian
- Maltese 4-syllable words
- Maltese terms with IPA pronunciation
- Maltese lemmas
- Maltese nouns
- Maltese feminine nouns
- Spanish non-lemma forms
- Spanish verb forms