epitomize

/əˈpɪt.əˌmaɪz/

//əˈpɪt.əˌmaɪz// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"epitomize" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“epitomize” is an uncommon English word, ranked #90,413 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#90,413
frequency rank, English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To make an epitome of; to shorten; to condense.

Key facts for epitomize
PropertyValue
Headwordepitomize
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/əˈpɪt.əˌmaɪz/
Letters9
Frequency rank#90,413
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “epitomize” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). epitomize lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for epitomize is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈpɪt.əˌmaɪz/. Corpus data places it at rank #90,413 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for epitomize, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From epitome + -ize. The correct English form is epitomize, spelled E-P-I-T-O-M-I-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make an epitome of; to shorten; to condense.
  2. 2
    To be an epitome of.

Etymology

From epitome + -ize.

Synonyms

sum up

This word in other languages

résumer(Français)verkörpern(Deutsch)personificar(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "epitomize"?
"epitomize" is spelled E-P-I-T-O-M-I-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈpɪt.əˌmaɪz/.
What does "epitomize" mean?
As a verb, "epitomize" means: To make an epitome of; to shorten; to condense.
How do you pronounce "epitomize"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "epitomize" is /əˈpɪt.əˌmaɪz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "epitomize"?
From epitome + -ize. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “epitomize”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-P-I-T-O-M-I-Z-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˈpɪt.əˌmaɪz/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list