ə̇ˈpid.ə(ˌ)mē, ēˈ-, eˈ-, -itə-, -_mi noun
( -s )
Etymology: Latin, from Greek epitomē, from epitemnein to cut short, abridge, from epi- + temnein to cut — more at tome
1.
a. : a summary of a written work : abridgment , abstract
purporting to be a translation from a French original although it is in fact but a meager epitome of it — Mary D. Anderson
b. : a brief presentation of a broad topic : compendium
a convenient epitome of much current knowledge and belief — H.S.Bennett
c. : a brief statement expressing the essence of something
“five years of fighting and ninety-five of winding up barbed wire” … was a fair epitome of war's aftermath — Dixon Wecter
2. : a typical representation or ideal expression : embodiment
his manner of receiving my aunt and myself was an epitome of his urbane and appreciative attitude toward the universe — Siegfried Sassoon
the British monarchy itself is the epitome of tradition — Richard Joseph
my community … considers a man in uniform to be the living epitome of heroism — Lucius Garvin
3. : brief or miniature form — used especially in the phrase in epitome
the spectator does in epitome and without halt what the artist did slowly and by process of trial and error — F.J.Mather
Synonyms: see abridgment