epitomes
Quintessential instances, plural
Epitomes is the plural of epitome—a person or thing that perfectly represents a quality or type: She is the epitome of grace.
The word also refers to a summary or condensed account of a larger work, though this sense is now rare.
Pronounced with four syllables: eh-PIT-oh-meez.
Purest embodiment of something
- embodimentConcrete manifestation of idea
- distillationPurification via vaporization
- personificationAttributing humanity to non-humans
- incarnationQuality given bodily presence
manifestation · representation · core · heart · soul · spirit · encapsulation · crystallization
Flawless model to emulate
- pinnacleUtmost summit or spire
- perfectionAbsence of any fault
- apotheosisPeak or deification
- nonpareilUnrivaled, beyond compare
acme · zenith · summit · peak · excellence · aspiration · utopia · nirvana
Standard for comparison
- yardstickThirty-six-inch ruler
- criterionStandard for judgment
- touchstoneStandard for evaluation
- gaugeStandard of measurement
reference · measure · barometer · litmus test · gold standard · baseline · metric · norm
First functional specimen
- progenitorAncestor or originator
- forerunnerOne that comes before
- precursorSomething that comes first
- pioneerEarly explorer or settler
ancestor · forebear · originator · trailblazer · innovator · founder · primogenitor · original
quintessence
Purest embodiment of something
- embodimentConcrete manifestation of idea
- distillationPurification via vaporization
- personificationAttributing humanity to non-humans
incarnation · manifestation · representation · core · heart · soul · spirit · encapsulation · crystallization · concentration
paragon
Flawless model to emulate
- pinnacleUtmost summit or spire
- perfectionAbsence of any fault
- apotheosisPeak or deification
nonpareil · acme · zenith · summit · peak · excellence · aspiration · utopia · nirvana · idyll
benchmark
Standard for comparison
- yardstickThirty-six-inch ruler
- criterionStandard for judgment
- touchstoneStandard for evaluation
gauge · reference · measure · barometer · litmus test · gold standard · baseline · metric · norm · threshold
prototype
First functional specimen
- progenitorAncestor or originator
- forerunnerOne that comes before
- precursorSomething that comes first
pioneer · ancestor · forebear · originator · trailblazer · innovator · founder · primogenitor · original · guiding light
- summariessummary, synopsis, summaries, abstract, abstracts
- Byzantine textshagiographies, hagiography, homilies, histories, historiography
- Roman HistoriographyLivy, Tacitus, Roman historians, Polybius, Gallic Wars
- referencesreference, references, dictionary, encyclopedia, atlas
- ancient textsscrolls, scroll, Euclid's Elements, Epic of Gilgamesh, codex
- Roman LawRoman law, Corpus Juris Civilis, Justinian Code, Twelve Tables, Digest
epitomesapproximations
Near but inexact values
parodies · mockeries · travesties · distortions · corruptions
epitomesantitheses
Direct rhetorical opposites
exceptions · anomalies · aberrations · contradictions · negations