Epitome is a very important word to understand. This is epitome’s meaning, its etymological origins, and how to use it in your everyday conversations!
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Kevin
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January 20, 2022
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The word epitome is a compelling term to describe people, things, and thoughts that are pure and exemplary. It’s not a common word in the modern world, but understanding what it means and how to use it can help expand your rich and exciting vocabulary.
This is what epitome means, its basic etymology, and how to effectively use it in your daily conversations.
What Does Epitome Mean?
There are two primary definitions of epitome (epi-tome, ep-item-i, ɪˈpɪtəmɪ) in the English dictionary.
The first and most common meaning of the word epitome is describing a thing or person that is the perfect embodiment, summary, and personification of a certain quality, type, or subject. It generally refers to a typical example of a characteristic or something that perfectly illustrates the features of a class. For example, some people may refer to generosity as the epitome of goodness and the obsessive consumption of TV as the epitome of sloth.
Another common meaning of epitome is a brief abstract, abridgment, or summary of a written work. Epitomes describe the general subject matter within large volumes and are typically created through condensation into discrete documents.
In many cases, epitome is used to describe a condensed account of a high degree literary work when a larger reality is expressed in a miniature form.
Where Does the Word Epitome Come From?
The word epitome has indo-European roots and originates from its usage in both Greek and Latin. The word was created from the Greek words epi (ἐπί, in addition) and temnein (τέμνω, to cut or surface incision).
In the Greek language, they combined to form the word epitemnein (ἐπιτέμνω, abridge), which later led to the greek epitomē (ἐπιτομή).
Over time, that word turned into the Latin epitome, which was incorporated into Middle French. This was later added into the dictionary of the English language. It has since become a powerful and useful word in English and continues to maintain its meaning today.
How to Use the Word Epitome
Epitome is most commonly used as a singular noun. If used in the plural sense, it is used as epitomes or epitome. When it is used as an adjective, the proper word form is epitomacy, or epitomical (ˌɛp ɪˈtɒm ɪ kəl).
The word itself is used to modify or describe something else. For example, if something is the primary example of a specific characteristic, it is the epitome of that characteristic.
While the word epitome is most commonly used grammatically as a noun, it is essential to understand that as a whole, the word itself will most typically be used as an adjective.
When used to describe the compact version of a written work, it is usually used as a noun. For example, when an author is removing some further details from a document to fit it into a smaller space or trying to create an original summation of work, that end product will epitome the former work’s contents.
Synonyms for the Word Epitome
While epitome is a great word to use in various contexts, it’s still good to switch it around with other similar words. This will help your vocabulary be dynamic and consistently fresh while making sure that everything you say is spoken intentionally!
Here are some of the most potent synonyms for epitome in the English language, according to Merriam Webster:
- Abstract
- Breviary
- Brief
- Capsule
- Conspectus
- Digest
- Encapsulation
- Inventory
- Outline
- Recap
- Recapitulation
- Resume
- roundup
- Run-through
- Rundown
- Sum
- Summarization
- Summary
- Synopsis
Example Uses of the Word Epitome
The best way to learn how to use a word is by seeing it in use. After reading these sentences, try to find ways to incorporate the word into your own life! If you’re looking for good places to use a word, they will almost always show up in your life — don’t be afraid to use them!
Using Epitome in a Sentence
- Some people think Richard is the best hockey player, but I honestly believe that he’s the actual epitome of skill in a sport.
- For me, getting a house meal at the local pub is the epitome of comfort food.
- Jeff’s billionaire class house was the epitome of decorum, not to mention the rocket he used to leave the planet.
- Their lack of grace in the copyright court cases made them intensely aware of the public ire — the epitome of their fears.
- My friend said that the greek epitome of a good time was a long wedding, surrounded by family and friends.
- While history wasn’t his favorite subject, learning about the history of the decline of roman worlds and the fall of the roman empire was the epitome of excitement.
- In a broad sense, the classical works of Chaucer are the epitome of excellent literature and are still influencing the practice of some later authors.
- This course at Princeton University has all the qualities of a class set up to succeed — the true epitome of an excellent educational experience.
- Even though Elizabeth might be a bit of a cheap-shot artist, she is still the epitome of a creative person in modern America.
- Paul Kennedy was the image of the good father — he was always trying to be the epitome of patience, consideration, and kindness to the average person.
- Even though the new writing was the epitome of high-level intellectual discourse, the fact that it had so many unacknowledged sources led to it being largely overlooked by later scholars.
- The new children’s series was more along the lines of abridgments of old stories than it was a group of new works, but it was still the epitome of fascination for its young audience.
Try using epitome in a conversation, today!
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