synopsis

[ si-nop-sis ]

noun

, plural syn·op·ses [si-, nop, -seez].

1. a brief or condensed statement giving a general view of some subject.
2. a compendium of heads or short paragraphs giving a view of the whole.
3. a brief summary of the plot of a novel, motion picture, play, etc.

synopsis

/ sɪˈnɒpsɪs /

noun

1. a condensation or brief review of a subject; summary

Word History and Origins

Origin of synopsis¹

First recorded in 1605–15; from Late Latin, from Greek sýnopsis, equivalent to syn- syn- + op- (suppletive stem of horân “to see”; autopsy ) + -sis -sis

Word History and Origins

Origin of synopsis¹

C17: via Late Latin from Greek sunopsis, from syn- + opsis view

Synonym Study

See summary.

Example Sentences

A reading of that brief synopsis is enough to make it clear that Campion’s movie plays on other tropes besides those found in Westerns.

From Washington Blade

Below, you’ll find a synopsis of how Google’s title changes have evolved, how you can verify whether your titles have been changed and what you can do to regain control over them.

From Search Engine Land

Strava users are prompted to give their runs a “title” and to add a synopsis and photos.

From Outside Online

Authorities in Ventura County told The Los Angeles Times they were reviewing a synopsis of about 20 incidents provided by Thacher officials last week to see if any of them constituted crimes.

From The Daily Beast

It works reasonably well—some synopses are better than others—and it’s free.

From Popular-Science

These scenes bring out a strange lightheartedness you would not expect going into a film with such a heady synopsis.

From The Daily Beast

For The Signature of All Things, for instance, I wrote a 70 page synopsis of the book before I wrote the book.

From The Daily Beast

With my third book, what was supposed to be the climax (at least, according to the synopsis) arrived on page 100.

From The Daily Beast

Grunwald offers a synopsis of the book in a Foreign Policy piece.

From The Daily Beast

Skim a synopsis of a Roth satire and you might think him only riotous, ludicrous and extravagant.

From The Daily Beast

His account of this initiation turns upon two or three points which do not appear in the synopsis of the sixth chapter.

From Project Gutenberg

He knew as much about it as Tadeo, but the published synopsis helped him and his fancy supplied the rest.

From Project Gutenberg

This briefer story cannot but be a repetition of the facts and a synopsis of the fuller statement of them.

From Project Gutenberg

Enough of its plan and purpose has been given in former chapters to make a synopsis of it unnecessary here.

From Project Gutenberg

Sidenotes giving a running synopsis of the text have been kept as close as possible to their original format and location.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• recap
• rundown