summa
summa
UK[ˈsʊmə]US[ˈsʊmə]
n
a comprehensive summary of, or treatise on, a subject, especially in theology or philosophy.
Etymology
the word 'summa' is a direct borrowing from medieval latin, where it served as the feminine form of the adjective 'summus', meaning 'highest' or 'supreme'. in latin, 'summa' could function as a noun meaning 'the top', 'the chief point', or 'the total'. this evolved in medieval scholastic latin to denote a comprehensive treatise, particularly one that aimed to be the highest or most complete treatment of a subject, most famously in the 'summa theologica' of thomas aquinas. entering english in the late 15th century, it retains this specialized sense of an authoritative and encyclopedic summary, preserving the original latin notion of a supreme or total compilation of knowledge.
Analysis
the word is a direct loanword from latin and functions as a single, unanalyzable unit in english.
Examples
aquinas's summa theologica is a cornerstone of catholic theology.
the professor assigned a chapter from a medieval summa on moral philosophy.
his latest work is not merely an article but a summa of his decades of research.