Word of the Day - 07/10/26
epitome
/ɪ'pɪtəmi/(n.): a typical or ideal example
The grand old library, with its towering shelves and hushed atmosphere, was the epitome of scholarly pursuit.
(n.): a brief abstract (as of an article or book)
The professor asked us to write an epitome of the lengthy research paper, focusing on its main arguments and findings.
Word Origin
The word 'epitome' originates from the Ancient Greek word 'epitomē' (ἐπιτομή), which meant 'an abridgment' or 'a summary'. This Greek term is derived from the verb 'epitemnein' (ἐπιτέμνειν), meaning 'to cut short' or 'to abridge'. It is composed of the prefix 'epi-' (ἐπι-), meaning 'on' or 'upon' (used here to intensify or add emphasis), and 'temnein' (τέμνειν), meaning 'to cut'. The word passed into Latin as 'epitome' before being adopted into English.
Words with similar origins, specifically sharing the Greek root 'temnein' (τέμνειν) meaning 'to cut', include: 'anatomy' (from Greek 'anatomē', 'a cutting up'), 'dichotomy' (from Greek 'dichotomia', 'a cutting in two'), 'tome' (from Greek 'tomos', 'a piece cut off, a section'), and 'atom' (from Greek 'atomos', meaning 'uncuttable', from 'a-' meaning 'not' + 'temnein' meaning 'to cut').