epitome
noun
Richard Joseph
Did you know?
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?
Synonyms
Examples of epitome in a Sentence
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
I didn't tell him that, at the time, I thought the place to be the epitome of bourgeois comfort; in those days I thought that there was some connection between creative talent and penury.
—Ishmael Reed, "August Wilson," 1987,
in Writin' Is Fightin', 1988
the golden rule is often cited as the epitome of moral conduct: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”
the prestigious prep school prides itself on being widely regarded as the epitome of tradition and old-fashioned values
Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
The Morning Show star and her late actor father, John Aniston, were the epitome of father-daughter goals.
—Grace Gavilanes, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024
It was meant to be a cross between a Swiss chalet and a Norwegian Villa because European culture was considered to be the epitome of refinement at the time.
—The Arizona Republic, 30 Mar. 2024
To me, this was the epitome of glamorous, enviable adulthood.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 21 Mar. 2024
The unpredictability of March Madness is the epitome of the sport, and the women’s tournament is no exception.
—Jeff Fromm, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Despite sitting so close to Cincinnati, Newtown is the epitome of a small town, and its crime rate reflects that.
—Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 26 Mar. 2024
With a capacious interior and short yet wide straps, this bag is the epitome of casually cool confidence.
—Alexis Bennett Parker, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2024
Triple Pea Salad With Crunchy Farro English, snap and snow peas come together for a supremely crunchy salad that is the epitome of spring.
—Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'epitome.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Epitome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epitome. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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epitome
noun
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