# epitome

> English word · Noun · IPA /əˈpɪt.ə.mi/ · frequency rank #20,107

## Definitions
1. The embodiment or encapsulation of a class of items.
2. A representative example.
3. The height; the best; the most vivid.
4. A brief summary of a text.

## Etymology
From Middle French, from Latin epitomē, from Ancient Greek ἐπιτομή (epitomḗ, “an abridgment, also a surface-incision”), from ἐπιτέμνω (epitémnō, “I cut upon the surface, cut short, abridge”), from ἐπι- (epi-, “up”) + τέμνω (témnō, “to cut”).

## Easily confused with
- **episode** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/episode-vs-epitome)

## Common misspellings (9)
`eiptome`, `epiotme`, `epitmoe`, `epitoem`, `epitomme`, `epittome`, `eppitome`, `eptiome`, `peitome`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/epitome