brief

¹brief

adj \ˈbrēf\

Definition of BRIEF

1

: short in duration, extent, or length

2

a : concise b : curt, abrupt

— brief·ness noun

Examples of BRIEF

1. The meeting will be brief.
2. The essay is brief but thorough enough.
3. a few brief words of caution

Origin of BRIEF

Middle English bref, breve, from Anglo-French bref, brief, from Latin brevis; akin to Old High German murg short, Greek brachys

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to BRIEF

Synonyms: aphoristic, apothegmatic, concise, capsule, compact, compendious, crisp, curt, elliptical (or elliptic), epigrammatic, laconic, monosyllabic, pithy, sententious, succinct, summary, telegraphic, terse, thumbnail

Antonyms: circuitous, circumlocutory, diffuse, long-winded, prolix, rambling, verbose, windy, wordy

Related Words: abrupt, blunt, brusque (also brusk), short, snippety, snippy; abbreviated, abridged, condensed, curtailed, shortened; meaty, substantial; meaningful, significant; well-turned

Near Antonyms: pleonastic, redundant, repetitious, tautological, tautologous; enlarged, expanded, supplemented; embellished, embroidered, exaggerated, inflated

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with BRIEF

beef, chief, fief, grief, kef, leaf, lief, reef, sheaf, thief