Compendious

Compendious is an adjective describing something that presents the essential facts of a subject in a concise and comprehensive form. A compendious work aims to cover a wide range of material without sacrificing the core information, yielding a summary that is both broad and compact. The term emphasizes both breadth of scope and brevity of expression.

Its origin lies in Latin, from compendiosus, derived from compendium, meaning a summary or compilation. In English, compendious has been used since at least the early modern period to characterize treatises, dictionaries, or surveys that seek to be complete yet succinct. Because of its formal tone, it frequently appears in scholarly writing and classic literature rather than everyday speech.

Synonyms include concise, succinct, abridged, and comprehensive, though compendious carries a particular sense that essential content is captured in a compact form. Antonyms include exhaustive, lengthy, and detailed. The word may describe a summary, outline, or handbook that provides a practical overview rather than a full exposition. In usage, it can imply commendable efficiency or, in some contexts, a risk of omitting nuance if overapplied.

Examples include a compendious outline of the law, a compendious medical handbook, or a compendious survey of world history. Related terms are compendium, synopsis, abridgment, and digest.