brevity
About Our Definitions: All forms of a word (noun, verb, etc.) are now displayed on one page.
About Our Definitions: All forms of a word (noun, verb, etc.) are now displayed on one page.brev·i·ty
noun \ˈbre-və-tē\ plural brev·i·ties
Definition of BREVITY
: shortness of duration; especially : shortness or conciseness of expression
See Examples of BREVITY
- The book's major flaw is its brevity.
- <the best quality a graduation speech can have is brevity>
- Mike Espy resigned under pressure as Secretary of Agriculture yesterday at a news conference remarkable for its brevity and general absence of whining. —New York Times, 4 Oct. 1994
- Lincoln was able to achieve the loftiness, ideality, and brevity of the Gettysburg Address because he had spent a good part of the 1850s repeatedly relating all the most sensitive issues of the day to the Declaration's supreme principle. —Garry Wills, Lincoln At Gettysburg, 1992
- The book's brevity is its major defect. Admittedly, readers of military history have been smothered by portentous tomes of a thousand pages or more. But 365 pages are too few to tell the Normandy story. —Drew Middleton, New York Times Book Review, 15 Aug. 1982
- “Maudie, I'm sure I don't know what you mean,” said Mrs. Merriweather. “I'm sure you do,” Miss Maudie said shortly. She said no more. When Miss Maudie was angry, her brevity was icy. —Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, 1960
- [+]more
Origin of BREVITY
Latin brevitas, from brevis (see breve)
First Known Use: 15th century
Related to BREVITY
- Synonyms
- briefness, conciseness, shortness
- Antonyms
- lengthiness
Rhymes with BREVITY
Learn More About BREVITY
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: Brevoortia
Previous Word in the Dictionary: brevit (noun)
All Words Near: brevity
Previous Word in the Dictionary: brevit (noun)
All Words Near: brevity
Seen & Heard 
What made you want to look up brevity? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
