précis

[ prey-see, prey-see ]

noun

, plural pré·cis [prey-, seez, prey, -seez].

1. a concise summary.

   Synonyms: abstract, condensation, digest

verb (used with object)

1. to make a précis of.

precis

/ ˈpreɪsiː /

noun

1. a summary of the essentials of a text; abstract

verb

1. tr to make a precis of

Word History and Origins

Origin of précis¹

1750–60; < French, noun use of adj., literally, cut short. See precise

Word History and Origins

Origin of précis¹

C18: from French: precise

Example Sentences

The precis of a panel titled “Misinformation, Censorship, and Academic Freedom” states as fact that “governments censored information contrary to public health pronouncements in social media settings.”

From Los Angeles Times

He segued into a précis of his political life, starting when he was a 29-year-old senator.

From Slate

But the insistence on its importance — it shows up instrumentally, and in its vocal form, and even in a music box as a ballerina twirls around — struck me as a perfect précis for the film.

From New York Times

Moving back and forth from the early 1950s to the late ’80s, “Fellow Travelers,” based on the 2007 novel of the same name by Thomas Mallon, is a précis of 20th-century queer history viewed through a turbulent relationship between two men.

From New York Times

Props, scripts, costumes and even a replica of the trailer from 1972’s “Pink Flamingos” serve as an immersive, chronological précis of Waters’s cinematic work.

From Los Angeles Times