noun
summary
SUHM-uh-ree
noun
1
A short version of a longer text that covers only the main points.
"She gave the board a one-page summary of the quarterly results."
"Read the summary at the top before diving into the full article."
adj
1
Brief and to the point.
"He gave a summary account of what had happened."
2
Done quickly, without following the usual formal steps.
"The soldiers were accused of carrying out summary executions."
How to Use Summary
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA short recap of the important parts of something longer — or, as an adjective, something done fast without the normal formalities.
Common mistake
"Summary" (concise) is not the same as "summery" (like summer weather) — they sound alike but mean completely different things.
Easily confused with
summery
Common pairings
a brief summary
summary judgment
in summary
Word Forms
more summary comparative, summaries plural, most summary superlative
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She gave the board a one-page _____ of the quarterly results.
Etymology
From Latin summa ("total, sum") plus the adjective ending -arius, via Medieval Latin summarius.