Word
summary
Phoneticssum·ma·ry, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈsəmɝi/
UK/sˈʌməɹi/
Definitions
01a short version
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun General-service
n. a short statement that gives the main points of something longer, like a book or a meeting.
n. a brief statement or account of the main points of something. Countable in general usage.
“At the end of the chapter, there is a short summary of the main events.”
“The executive summary provided a concise overview of the project's financial projections without delving into the technical minutiae of the engineering phase.”
02brief and condensed
B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic
adj. short and containing only the most important information.
adj. brief or condensed in form; presenting the substance of a matter in a concise manner.
Español:sumario
“The reporter gave a summary account of the day's events in the city.”
“The professor requested a summary report of the findings, emphasizing that brevity was more important than exhaustive detail for this initial review.”
Antonyms
03done quickly without ceremony
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. done immediately and quickly, often without following the usual rules or ceremonies.
adj. performed speedily and without formal ceremony; often implies a lack of due process or deliberation.
“The manager's summary dismissal of the employee's ideas upset the whole team.”
“The summary execution of the prisoners without a trial was condemned by international human rights organizations as a violation of global law.”
Antonyms
04legal proceedings
C1 · Advanced Law Technical · Formal
adj. describes a legal process that happens quickly without a full, long trial.
adj. relating to or denoting legal proceedings conducted without the traditional requirement of a full jury trial.
“The judge issued a summary judgment because the facts of the case were very clear.”
“The defence moved for a summary judgment, arguing that the prosecution had failed to provide any evidence that could legally sustain a conviction.”
Usage
Commonly used in the phrase 'summary judgment'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “summary” in context.
Verb
01. give summary
“Can you give a brief summary of the meeting for those who were absent?”
verb + noun
02. present summary
“The researcher will present a summary of the findings at the conference tomorrow.”
verb + noun
03. provide summary
“The website provides a summary of each book to help you choose what to read.”
verb + noun
Noun
04. summary statistic
“The mean is a common summary statistic used to describe a set of data.”
noun + noun
Etymology
From Middle English summary, from Medieval Latin summārius, from Latin summa (“total, sum”) + -ārius (suffix forming adjectives).
From Medieval Latin summārium, from Latin summa (“total, sum”) + -ārium (suffix forming nouns of purpose).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADVERB
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/summary
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0