entry
brevity
/ˈbrɛvəti/Shortness or concise expression in speech or writing
From Latin brief (short).
from Old French brieveté
Word Ancestry
from Old French brieveté
Brevity arrived in English around 1509 carrying a very compact Latin package: brevis, “short,” became brevitās, “shortness.” The route is slightly slippery—English may have borrowed it directly from Latin, or through Anglo-Norman and Old French brieveté—so even the history practices what the word preaches. Its close relative brief first meant something of short duration before becoming a short written instruction, while breve preserves the same Latin family in musical notation and other specialized uses. Think of brevity as linguistic compression: a long thought packed into a small verbal suitcase.
The Story
Brevity arrived in English around 1509 carrying a very compact Latin package: brevis, “short,” became brevitās, “shortness.” The route is slightly slippery—English may have borrowed it directly from Latin, or through Anglo-Norman and Old French brieveté—so even the history practices what the word preaches. Its close relative brief first meant something of short duration before becoming a short written instruction, while breve preserves the same Latin family in musical notation and other specialized uses. Think of brevity as linguistic compression: a long thought packed into a small verbal suitcase.
Kin & Kindred
From 'brief'·short; concise
Derived Terms
English words from this root
Sources
Urban Dictionary
Wiktionary