summation

/səˈmeɪʃən/

Other forms: summations

A summation is a final review or conclusion, often given in a court of law. As the incompetent lawyer approached the bench for the final time, he told the judge and jury, "In summation, my client is guilty of all charges."

At the end of every court case, both the defense and prosecution give a summation — a quick rundown of all the facts from the case to help the jury decide on a verdict. When used outside of the courtroom, summation simply means recounting a group of items or events. At the end of a father-son camping trip, the son gives his mother a summation of the trip. You'll note that summation begins with the prefix sum-, meaning "to add up." In fact, another definition for summation is the process of adding things together, or the final sum.

Definitions of summation

1. noun

   the arithmetic operation of summing; calculating the sum of two or more numbers
   “the summation of four and three gives seven”

   synonyms: addition, plus

   type of:

   arithmetic operation

   a mathematical operation involving numbers
2. noun

   the final aggregate
   synonyms: sum, sum total

   types:

   aggregate, congeries, conglomeration

   a sum total of many heterogenous things taken together

   type of:

   accumulation, aggregation, assemblage, collection

   several things grouped together or considered as a whole
3. noun

   a concluding summary (as in presenting a case before a law court)
   synonyms: rundown, summing up

   type of:

   sum-up, summary

   a brief statement that presents the main points in a concise form
4. noun

   (physiology) the process whereby multiple stimuli can produce a response (in a muscle or nerve or other part) that one stimulus alone does not produce
   type of:

   biological process, organic process

   a process occurring in living organisms