学个词 epitome

学个词 epitome

epitome - noun，典型，缩影；摘要，概要

Definition of epitome

1: a typical or ideal example : EMBODIMENT

the British monarchy itself is the epitome of tradition

— Richard Joseph

2a: a summary of a written work

b: a brief presentation or statement of something

3: brief or miniature form —usually used with in

Synonyms for epitome

Synonyms - abstract, breviary, brief, capsule, conspectus, digest, encapsulation, inventory, outline, précis, recap, recapitulation, résumé (or resume also resumé), roundup, run-through, rundown, sum, sum-up, summa, summarization, summary, summing-up, synopsis, wrap-up

Epitome Has Greek Roots

Epitome first appeared in print in the early 16th century, when it was used to mean "summary." If someone asks you to summarize a long paper, you effectively cut it up, mentioning only the most important ideas, and the etymology of epitome reflects this process: it comes from Greek epitemnein, meaning "to cut short." Your summary probably also presents all the key points of the original work, which may explain why epitome eventually came to be used for any person or object that is a clear or good example of an abstraction, as in "the epitome of grace" or "the epitome of health." We could go on and on... or could we?

Examples of epitome in a Sentence

Terns, nicknamed sea swallows by fishermen, are superb flying machines, the epitome of beauty on the wing.

— E. Vernon Laux, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2001

Manchester, then known as 'Cottonopolis' and perceived throughout the world as the epitome of the whirling fierceness of the industrial revolution.  …

— Roy Jenkins, Gladstone, (1995) 1997

Hamilton thought the bank was a fait accompli, but he had not reckoned on Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Jefferson, the lover of rural virtues, had a deep, almost visceral hatred of banks, the epitome of all that was urban.

— John Steele Gordon, American Heritage, July/August 1990

Dichos is the epitome of the perfect neighborhood spot.

— Emma Balter, Chron, 12 Aug. 2022

Throughout his almost 40-year career, Love has been the epitome of a genteel professional golfer, unfailingly polite toward colleagues and so buttoned-down that his idea of a revolutionary act is wearing pants of an off-khaki hue.

— Eamon Lynch, The Arizona Republic, 7 Aug. 2022

The ultimate Disney Halloween movie, this whimsical classic makes chatty black cats and goofy witches the epitome of Halloween fun.

— Lauren Puckett-pope, Good Housekeeping, 19 May 2022

History and Etymology for epitome

Latin, from Greek epitomē, from epitemnein to cut short, from epi- + temnein to cut — more at TOME