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?
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
Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 22 May 2025
The new Lip Glaze is $22 and comes in six shades, with one inspired by each member—and is the epitome of Glossier’s signature no makeup-makeup aesthetic.
—Kleigh Balugo, StyleCaster, 20 May 2025
Courtyard blocks are the epitome of pro-social housing, and the Residential Investment Corp. can use courtyard block designs to create mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhoods that appeal to households of all ages, stages and income levels.
—Alicia Pederson, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025
The flights are the epitome of luxury, with just 18 oversized seats (all business class); free Wi-Fi; catering by my favorite local five-star restaurant, Buccan; and a basket of snacks that puts all commercial airlines’ offerings to shame.
—Skye Sherman, Travel + Leisure, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for epitome
Cite this Entry
“Epitome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epitome. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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epitome
noun
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