English
epitome
Epitome comes from Ancient Greek ἐπιτομή ‘an abridgment, also a surface-incision’, from τέμνω ‘to cut’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *temh₁-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*temh₁-‘to cut’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*tm̥-né-h₁-tireconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτέμνω‘to cut’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐπιτέμνωepitémnō‘to cut upon the surface, cut short, abridge’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐπιτομήepitomḗ‘an abridgment, also a surface-incision’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEepitomē
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1608–1609epitome
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*temh₁-‘to cut’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*tm̥-né-h₁-tireconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτέμνω‘to cut’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐπιτέμνωepitémnō‘to cut upon the surface, cut short, abridge’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐπιτομήepitomḗ‘an abridgment, also a surface-incision’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEepitomē
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1608–1609epitome
Earliest quotation: c. 1608–1609, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Coriolanus: “This is a poore Epitome of yours, / Which…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *temh₁- ‘to cut’
contempt, templar, tempestuous, 36 more
through Ancient Greek τέμνω ‘to cut’
Today it means
noun The embodiment or encapsulation of a class of items.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *temh₁- / epitome