summary

summary — noun

1. A written or spoken version that presents only the key points of a longer text,

1.nounB2
Definition

A written or spoken version that presents only the key points of a longer text, a discussion, or an event, leaving out minor details.

Example

Tanvi wrote a one-page summary of the research paper for her classmates.

summary + of + noun phrase for describing a document's key points

The meeting summary listed the three decisions the team had reached.

Common collocations
  • executive summary
  • news summary
  • in summary
  • summary of findings
Synonyms
  • synopsis

    more literary; used for plots of books, films, or plays

  • digest

    suggests a condensed collection of key information, often published regularly

  • abstract

    more formal; used for academic articles, research papers, or legal documents

  • outline

    emphasises structure and organisation of main ideas rather than full content

Antonyms
  • full text

    the complete original document rather than a condensed version

Grammar Patterns

summary + of + noun phrase

Common Mistakes

I wrote a summary about the book.
I wrote a summary of the book.
Use 'of', not 'about', to introduce the thing being summarised.

summary — adjective

Word family

  • summarize
    verbB2
  • summarization
    nounC1
  • summarily
    adverbC1
  • summative
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These words all describe condensed versions of longer material, but they differ in scope and context. A summary is the most general term — a brief restatement of main points from any type of content. A synopsis is more literary, used mainly for plot summaries of novels, films, or plays. An abstract is a formal, precise summary of an academic article or research paper, usually written by the original author and placed at the start of the document. A digest suggests a regular publication that collects and condenses important information (e.g., news digest, legal digest). An outline focuses on the structure and organisation of ideas, often using headings and subheadings, rather than telling the full story. For everyday use, summary is safest. If you are writing about a film plot, synopsis is more natural. If you need a preview of a research paper, ask for an abstract.

summary ↗synopsis ↗abstract ↗digest ↗outline ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in summary
  • by way of summary
  • summary of findings

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinMiddle EnglishEnglish

Summary comes from Latin 'summārium' (an abstract or epitome), which was formed from 'summa' (the sum total, the main point), itself from 'summus' (highest, topmost). The word entered Middle English around the 15th century, initially through legal and academic writing. The adjective sense meaning 'done quickly without formality' developed in the 17th–18th centuries from legal language, where a 'summary proceeding' was a faster, simplified court process that skipped the usual steps.