ἐπιτομή Ancient Greek · revision 3142

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=4th century BC, Aeschines and Aristotle|origins=ine-pro *temh₁-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /e.pi.to.mɛ̌ː/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /e.pi.toˈmi/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /e.pi.toˈmi/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ἐπῐτομή''' (epitomḗ) ''f'' (genitive ἐπῐτομῆς); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is derived from [[ἐπιτέμνω|tr=epitémnō|t=to cut on the surface; to cut short]] with the suffix [[m|grc|-ή|tr=-ḗ]].^(Wiktionary)^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021) The verb is formed from [[ἐπί|tr=epí|t=upon]] and [[τέμνω|tr=témnō|t=to cut]], from [[ine-pro|*temh₁-|t=to cut]].^(Beekes 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Aeschines uses it for a cut on the head, and the Aristotelian ''Problems'' for an abridgement of natural science.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its literal sense, an incision, is rare; from “cutting short” came its usual meaning, an abridgement or summary.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021) Epicurus pairs it with ''στοιχείωσις'', “elementary outline”, and it was the title of works by Chrysippus and other Stoics.^(LSJ 1940) Dionysius of Halicarnassus speaks of summary epitomes of history.^(LSJ 1940) The Second Book of Maccabees uses it for a summary, and Cicero uses ''ἐν ἐπιτομῇ'' for “briefly”.^(Lust 2003)^(LSJ 1940) Plutarch uses it for the abridgement of a historical work.^(CGL 2021)

+

+ Latin borrowed it as [[m|la|epitomē]].^(Wiktionary) Modern Greek [[m|el|επιτομή|tr=epitomí]] is a learned word for a book that abridges a longer one.^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 4th century BC – Aeschines uses it for an incision.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ * 4th century BC – The Aristotelian ''Problems'' use it for an abridgement.^(LSJ 1940)

+ * 2nd–1st century BC – The Second Book of Maccabees uses it for a summary.^(Lust 2003)

+ * 1st century BC – Cicero uses ''ἐν ἐπιτομῇ'' “briefly”.^(LSJ 1940)

+ * 1st–2nd century AD – Plutarch uses it for an abridged history.^(CGL 2021)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A cut on the surface, [[m|en|incision]].^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # An [[m|en|epitome]], abridgement, summary.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ἐπιτέμνω|tr=epitémnō]]

+ * [[τέμνω|tr=témnō]]

+ * [[τομή|tr=tomḗ]]

+ * [[la|epitome]]

+ * [[en|epitome]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}