Summarize
/ˈsʌm.ə.raɪz/noun
To give a brief statement of the main points of something.
Did you know?The word ultimately traces back to Latin summa, meaning “the highest point” or “the total,” so to summarize is literally to turn many things into one supreme whole.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sem-
“one; together”
Latin
Latin
summa
“the highest point; total amount”
Old French
Old French
somme
“sum; total”
Middle English
English
summarie
“a brief abstract or epitome”
16th Century
English
summarize
“to reduce to a summary”
Explore more surprising origins