epitomizes
/ɪˈpɪtəmaɪzɪz/
verb
Origin
Ancient Greek
ἐπιτομή (epitomḗ) — abridgment; summary
Overview
Meaning Now
- serves as a typical example of something
- expresses the essential qualities of something in a concise or representative way
Literal older meaning
to make into an epitome; to summarize in a representative form
Language path
Ancient Greek → Late Latin → English
Earliest form
epitomize
Earliest period
16th century
Journey
The word belongs to the learned vocabulary of Renaissance and post-Renaissance English, when many technical and literary terms were borrowed from Greek through Latin. In modern usage, it often appears in formal writing, criticism, and journalism to mean that something stands out as a clear example of a larger type.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek
ἐπιτομή
“abridgment; summary”
Nominal base of the later learned borrowing.
- Late Latin
epitomĭa / epitoma
“summary, abridgment”
Transmission through scholarly Latin forms.
- Early Modern English
epitomize
“to summarize or represent in summary form”
Learned loan with verbal suffix -ize.
- Modern English
epitomizes
“represents very well; is a perfect example of”
Common figurative use in contemporary English.
Connections
Word parts
epito-
root
upon; added to; concise summary
-mize
suffix
to make, render, or turn into
-s
ending
third-person singular present tense
Related across languages
Latin
epitomare
to abridge, summarize
French
épitomiser
to epitomize; to summarize
Spanish
epitimizar
to epitomize; to sum up
Italian
epitomizzare
to epitomize; to summarize
Explore next
Related to epitomizes
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.