Summary

/ˈsʌməri/

Meaning & Definition

noun
A brief statement or account of the main points of something.
The report concludes with a summary of the key findings.
A concise presentation of the main ideas of a topic.
She provided a summary of the book for those who haven't read it.
An overview, usually presented in a condensed format.
The summary of the meeting was sent out to all participants.
verb
To provide a brief statement or account of something.
Can you summarize the article in a few sentences?
To state or express the main points succinctly.
The teacher asked the students to summarize their findings.

Etymology

From Latin 'summarium', from 'summarius', meaning 'of a sum', derived from 'summus' meaning 'highest, total'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

In summary
Used to introduce a brief statement that consolidates the main points.
Summary judgment
A legal term for a judgment without a full trial.
Summed up
To express something in a concise way.

Related Words

summarize
To give a brief statement of the main points of something.
summary report
A report that provides a summary of information.
summation
The process of adding things together.

Slang Meanings

Quick recap
Just give me a quick recap of what happened.
Cliff’s Notes
I didn’t read the book, I just used the Cliff’s Notes for the summary.