a brief or condensed statement giving a general view of some subject. a compendium of heads or short paragraphs giving a view of the whole. a brief summary of the plot of a novel, motion picture, play, etc.

The ancient Greek word synopsis means “general view.” Synonyms include abridgment, as in a shortened version of a book, and brief, which is a legal word, and sketch, which is a quick outline of a story. Other synonyms include abstract, compendium, digest (the noun form), and conspectus.

: a short description of the most important information about something : a summary or outline.

He refused to give a synopsis. That is a lot to pack in, and reading the synopsis first is advisable. Doubtless many talk-show hosts simply read the synopsis on the cover. He wrote in a book synopsis that the experiment had worked and that he'd discovered the only route to real happiness.