epitome Latin · revision 4071

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=Cicero|origins=grc ἐπιτομή}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ɛˈpɪ.tɔ.meː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [eˈpiː.to.me]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''epitomē''' ''f'' (genitive epitomēs); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|grc|ἐπιτομή|tr=epitomḗ|t=abridgement]], from [[m|grc|ἐπιτέμνω|tr=epitémnō|t=to cut short]], from [[m|grc|ἐπί|tr=epí]] and [[m|grc|τέμνω|tr=témnō|t=to cut]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Cicero also has a Latinised form [[epitoma]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Cicero, in letters to Atticus, mentions Brutus' abridgement of Caelius' history.^(Georges 1913)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was an abridgement or summary of a literary work.^(OLD 2012) 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.^(Georges 1913) Jerome writes the word in Greek letters.^(TLL)

+

+ In medieval Latin it was a synopsis or compendium, ''sub epitome'' meaning “briefly”, and also a mention in praise.^(MLW)^(DMLBS) English ''epitome'' came through French in the 1520s for an abstract of a writing.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero mentions an epitome of Caelius.^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1st century AD – Columella mentions six epitomes of Dionysius.^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1520s – English ''epitome'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An abridgement, [[m|en|epitome]], summary.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Praise, a laudatory mention.^(MLW)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[epitomō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|epitome]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}