summary
UK: ˈsʌməri | US: ˈsʌməri
n. a brief statement or account of the main points of something
adj. concise and without unnecessary details
sum<total> + mary<noun suffix>
- sum: From Latin summa ("highest part, total"), derived from summus ("highest"). In English, it retains the sense of "total" or "main points."
- mary: A suffix derived from Latin -arius (forming adjectives/nouns), later adapted into Old French -arie and Middle English -ary. Here, it nominalizes the concept of "totality."
Etymology Origin:
The word summary originated in the late Middle English period, borrowed from Latin summarius ("of or pertaining to the sum"). It reflects the idea of distilling the "sum" or essence of a subject into a condensed form. The suffix -ary (via Old French) solidified its role as a noun denoting a concise overview.
The executive provided a summary of the quarterly report.
Please submit a summary of your research findings.
The article includes a summary at the end for quick reference.
His summary dismissal shocked the entire team.
The book’s summary on the back cover caught my attention.