Meaning & use
epitome
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Meanings
nounsingular
A person or thing that is such a perfect example of a quality or type that it seems to stand for it completely.
Grammar: Usually used as the epitome of something: she is the epitome of calm.
Patterns
- the epitome of something
Their little cafe is the epitome of cozy charm.
He was the epitome of politeness, even when angry.
The tower is often seen as the epitome of modern design.
nouncountableformalrare
A short summary of a longer piece of writing.
Grammar: Has a plural, epitomes, but this sense is now rare and formal.
Patterns
- an epitome of something
The book opens with an epitome of the earlier volumes.
He wrote an epitome of the long report for the board.
Word forms
| plural | epitomes |
|---|
Common combinations
- the epitome of elegance
- The dress was the epitome of elegance.
- the very epitome
- She is the very epitome of kindness.
- the epitome of cool
- The singer was the epitome of cool.
- the epitome of success
- To many, he was the epitome of success.
Synonyms and how they differ
- embodiment
- Embodiment stresses that a quality takes visible form in someone, while epitome stresses being the perfect example.
- quintessence
- Quintessence is more formal and refers to the purest essence of something.
- model
- Model suggests an example worth copying, while epitome need not be admirable.
Word family
- epitomize verb
- to be a perfect example of something
- epitomise verb
- British spelling of epitomize
Commonly confused: epitome or epithet? epitome or epitaph?
epitome vs epithet
An epithet is a descriptive name or phrase attached to a person, such as 'the Great'; it is not an example of a quality.
epitome vs epitaph
An epitaph is words written on a gravestone.
Practice
She is the ___ of good manners; nobody has ever heard her speak rudely.
Choose one answer.
The epitome of something means a perfect example of it. Epithet and epitaph are different words, and example does not fit the pattern 'the example of'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “epitome”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.