conspectus

UK: kənˈspɛktəs | US: kənˈspɛktəs

Definition
  1. n. a summary or overview of a subject; a synopsis

  2. n. a comprehensive survey or digest of information

Structure
con <together>spect <look>us <noun suffix>
Etymology

Derived from Latin conspectus (meaning "a view, survey"), the word combines con- (a prefix meaning "together") and spectus (from specere, "to look"). The literal sense of "looking together" evolved metaphorically to mean a mental overview or summary. The suffix -us is a Latin nominal ending, often retained in English to form nouns. This reflects the word's scholarly and formal usage, typically in academic or technical contexts.

Examples
  1. The professor provided a concise conspectus of the course material before the exam.

  2. The book includes a conspectus of medieval European history.

  3. A conspectus of recent research findings was presented at the conference.

  4. The report offers a conspectus of global economic trends.

  5. Students were asked to write a conspectus of the assigned readings.