What is a short, complete summary called?

The term for a short, complete summary is known as an abstract. An abstract condenses the essential information and key points of a document or study into a brief overview, allowing readers to quickly ascertain the main themes and purpose of the content without delving into the full text. It is particularly common in academic writing and research, where the abstract serves to inform readers about the scope, methodology, results, and conclusions of a work.

While "digest," "compendium," and "summary" may all relate to the concept of summarizing information, they do not specifically convey the same formal and structured nature that an abstract possesses. A digest typically refers to a collection of summaries or extracts rather than a singular, concise summary of a specific document. A compendium often implies a comprehensive collection or compilation of information on a particular subject, while a summary can vary in length and depth, lacking the focused structure that characterizes an abstract.