Question:
Choose the correct synonym out of the four choices given.
Compendium
Choose the correct synonym out of the four choices given.
Compendium
Compendium
Show Hint
The Latin root means a saving or a shortcut. The word points to a large subject boiled down to its essentials, not just a pile of items.
Updated On: Jul 17, 2026
- summary
- index
- reference
- collection
Show Solution
Verified By Collegedunia
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
A "compendium" is a short, complete account of a large subject: all the essential matter of a bigger work packed into a small space. The word comes from Latin "compendium", meaning a saving or shortening. So the sense to look for is a condensed version of something larger, not merely a heap of items.
- summary: This is a brief statement that gives the main points of a longer text. That is the primary dictionary sense of compendium, which is often defined as a concise summary or abridgement. This is the closest single-word match.
- index: An index is only a list of topics with page numbers at the back of a book. It points to matter, it does not contain the matter in shortened form, so it is far weaker than compendium.
- reference: This means a mention of a source or an act of turning to something for information. It is not a form of writing at all, so it cannot be a synonym for a book-length abridgement.
- collection: A collection is a set of things gathered together. A compendium is often a collection too, so this option is tempting, but a collection carries no idea of being condensed or complete in brief. That condensing is the defining feature of a compendium, so "summary" is the tighter fit.
So the correct option is (A) summary. "He wrote a compendium of Indian constitutional law" means he boiled a huge subject down to its essentials.
Let's summarize:
- Compendium means a concise, complete treatment of a large subject, that is, a summary or abridgement.
- "Collection" is the near miss because it captures the gathering but not the condensing; "index" and "reference" only point to information rather than presenting it.
The answer is (A) summary.
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