What is the Latin word for contents?

The usual Latin words for “contents” are summa, sententia, argūmentum; also epitomē. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“contents” in Latin

summatop, summit, highest point or place; the principal or main thing; sum, summary, total sententiaa way of thinking, view, opinion, judgement or sentence; a purpose, intention, will (one's thinking in respect to the fu argūmentumargument (as in an argument for a position); evidence, a proof; a point, a theme; a topic, thesis epitomēepitome; abridgement; synopsis

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

contents

quod aliqua re continetur (that which is enclosed in a certain space): summa (the principal heads of a letter, discourse, etc.): sententia: sententiae (principal or leading thought in a speech, writing, disquisition): argumentum (the subject-matter of a speech, etc.; for which materia is not classical; Vid: Quint., 5, 10, 9, Spalding): epitome (short extract) [Vid: PURPORT]. A table of contents, argumentum (will mostly do, from the context): *argumenti conspectus (after pecuniae conspectus, Gell.).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for contents?: The usual Latin words for “contents” are summa, sententia, argūmentum; also epitomē. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.