Word of the Day

: September 1, 2025

epitome

noun ih-PIT-uh-mee

What It Means

Epitome means "a perfect example." It is usually used in the phrase "the epitome of," as in "the epitome of elegance."

// In his tailored suit and fashionable haircut, he was the very epitome of style.

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epitome in Context

"The image of Diana standing on a polo field in a white British Lung Foundation sweatshirt is one of the most iconic images of the late princess. Dressed in jeans, a baseball cap, cowboy boots and a blazer over the logo crewneck, Princess Diana—who served as patron of the foundation—looked the epitome of '80s cool." — Kristin Contino, Marie Claire, 27 June 2025

Did You Know?

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. 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."