[ad. med.L. summista, f. summa SUM sb.1 + -ista -IST. Cf. F. sommiste, It. sommista, Sp. sumista, Pg. summista.]
1. The author of a summa of religious doctrine, etc., e.g., Thomas Aquinas, author of Summa theologiæ, Summa contra gentiles; often used gen. of the schoolmen.
1545. Bale, Image Both Ch., I. (East), 117 b. An infinite rable of Sophisters & schoole doctours,… of sentencioners and summistes.
1610. Donne, Pseudo-Martyr, 229. Those examples, which Carbo a good Summist alleages.
1679. T. Barlow, Popery, 38. The Canonists, Casuists, Schoolmen, Summists, Iesuits, &c. are generally, if not universally of this opinion.
1819. McCrie, Life A. Melville, I. iii. 99. The barbarous latin of summists and commentators.
1886. Encycl. Brit., XXI. 425/2. Hugo [of St. Victor], by the composition of his Summa Sententiarum, endeavoured to give a methodical … presentation of the content of faith, and was thus the first of the so-called Summists.
1891. T. E. Bridgett, Life Sir T. More, 93. In your Summists and Masters of Sentences you will find many sayings of the ancients quoted as authorities.
† b. An epitomizer, abridger; transf. an epitome, summary. Obs.
1600. W. Watson, Decacordon (1602), 110. An od conceit I haue of the Iesuits perfection … moues me to place the Generall loco summi generis as a Summist of all the rest.
1705. G. Bull, Corrupt. Ch. Rome, iii. in Lett., etc., 281. A Book … entituled, The Tax of the Apostolical Chamber or Chancery, whereby may be learned more sorts of Wickedness, than from all the Summists and the Summaries of all Vices.
a. 1734. North, Exam., III. viii. § 17 (1740), 594. The Author is but a Summist of the Libel upon this Head.
2. [It. sommista.] In the Roman Curia, an official of the Apostolic Camera who had charge of the issuing of bulls. Hist.
1686. J. S[ergeant], Hist. Monast. Convent., 154. The Office of Summist is of a great value, and is generally possessed by a Cardinal.
1694. Motteux, Rabelais, V. Lett., xv. 29. That Apartment where the Summists reside.
