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summa

[ soom-uh, suhm-uh ]

noun

, plural sum·mae [soom, -ahy, suhm, -ee], sum·mas.
  1. a comprehensive work or series of works covering, synthesizing, or summarizing a particular field or subject.
  2. a work or series of works that is a summary of all human knowledge.


summa

/ ˈsʊmɑː /

noun

  1. medieval Christianity theol a compendium of theology, philosophy, or canon law, or sometimes of all three together. The Summa Theologica of St Thomas Aquinas, written between 1265 and 1274, was the most famous of all such compendia
  2. rare.
    a comprehensive work or survey


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Word History and Origins

Origin of summa1

1400–50; late Middle English < Medieval Latin; Latin: sum

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Word History and Origins

Origin of summa1

C15: from Latin: sum 1

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Compare Meanings

How does summa compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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Example Sentences

The Citi Bike system is thus a summa of all conservative fears.

Amanpour graduated summa cum laude from the University of Rhode Island with a B.A. in journalism.

Before meeting her husband, she reached an upper rung on Wall Street, after graduating summa cum laude from Georgetown.

But the compelling weight of her experience is revealed in her résumé: summa cum laude from Princeton, editor of Yale Law Review.

He took care to use the word “lynch” in his summa on behalf of Mr. Burris.

In the cavea media and the cavea summa the seats were of stone resting on the bank of earth.

I'm dummed if there ain't ol' Santa Claus a comin' t' th' Forks in th' summa time.

Philosophy is developed scientifically in his "Contra Gentes" and theology, scientifically in his great "Summa."

Summum jus, summa injuria—The Chief Justice—the greatest wrong!

Cardinal Cajetan, from whose famous Commentary on the Summa we have occasionally quoted, is unfortunately too little known.

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sumi-esummable