Plural of epitome; perfect examples or summaries of something, or shortened versions of longer works.
From Greek epitome (a cutting short, summary), derived from epi- (upon) + temnein (to cut). The word literally means a 'cutting short' and evolved to mean both a summary and a perfect example.
The word 'epitome' captures something beautifully—when you cut away everything unnecessary from something complex, what's left is pure essence. That's why we call the perfect example of something an epitome.
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