epitome

the word 'epitome' originates from the greek 'epitomē', which literally meant 'a cutting on the surface' or 'an abridgment'. this was formed by combining the prefix 'epi-' (meaning 'upon') with 'tomē' (a cutting, from the verb 'temnein', to cut). the conceptual logic is that an abridgment or summary is a piece 'cut out' from a larger work. in ancient and renaissance usage, an epitome was a concise summary of a longer text. over time, the meaning evolved from a literal 'cut-down version' to a metaphorical one, where the 'summary' came to represent the quintessential or most representative part, leading to its modern sense of 'a perfect example'.

Structure: epi (upon) + tome (cut) epi (greek prefix meaning 'upon, at, close upon') + tome (from greek 'tomē', meaning 'a cutting, section')