E*pit"o*me (?), n.; pl. Epitomes (#). [L., fr. Gr. &?; a surface incision, also, and abridgment, fr. &?; to cut into, cut short; 'epi` upon + te`mnein to cut: cf. F. épitome. See Tome.] 1. A work in which the contents of a former work are reduced within a smaller space by curtailment and condensation; a brief summary; an abridgement.

[An] epitome of the contents of a very large book.

2. A compact or condensed representation of anything.

An epitome of English fashionable life.

A man so various that he seemed to be
Not one, but all mankind's epitome.

Syn. -- Abridgement; compendium; compend; abstract; synopsis; abbreviature. See Abridgment.

• The height; the best sort of something
  
• a brief summary of a book, article, or similar written document
  
• abstract, summary, synopsis
  
• the best example of, greatest