This word stems from the Old French “compendieux,” from the Latin “compendiosus,” which means “advantageous, brief.” In the fast-paced modern age, it’s helpful to have information presented to us efficiently and in a compendious fashion. The popular YouTube channels Vox and Great Art Explained (among others) are based on the premise of breaking down complex concepts, such as the meaning of a credit score or the history of Goya’s “Black Paintings,” in an entertaining yet compendious style.