Etymologically
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epitome

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ɛˈpɪ.tɔ.meː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [eˈpiː.to.me][1]

Forms

epitomē f (genitive epitomēs); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἐπιτομή (epitomḗ, “abridgement”), from ἐπιτέμνω (epitémnō, “to cut short”), from ἐπί (epí) and τέμνω (témnō, “to cut”).[2][1] Cicero also has a Latinised form epitoma.[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Cicero, in letters to Atticus, mentions Brutus' abridgement of Caelius' history.[4][3] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It was an abridgement or summary of a literary work.[2] Columella says that the whole of Dionysius, spread over many volumes, was reduced to six epitomes, and Ausonius speaks of compressing a poem into an epitome.[4] Jerome writes the word in Greek letters.[6]

In medieval Latin it was a synopsis or compendium, sub epitome meaning “briefly”, and also a mention in praise.[7][8] English epitome came through French in the 1520s for an abstract of a writing.[9]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero mentions an epitome of Caelius.[4][5]
  • 1st century AD – Columella mentions six epitomes of Dionysius.[4][5]
  • 1520s – English epitome is recorded.[9]

Meanings

Noun

  1. An abridgement, epitome, summary.[2][1]
  2. (Medieval Latin) Praise, a laudatory mention.[7]

Word family

  • epitomō

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d e Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  7. ^ a b Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  8. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com