brevity

noun

brev·​i·​ty ˈbre-və-tē How to pronounce brevity (audio)
plural brevities
: shortness of duration
especially : shortness or conciseness of expression

Examples of brevity in a Sentence

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
The book's major flaw is its brevity. the best quality a graduation speech can have is brevity
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. Marianne Schnall, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024 Here are the answers from Weninger, Reese and Gonzales, which may have been slightly edited for clarity and brevity. Ray Stern, The Arizona Republic, 9 Oct. 2024 Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity. Jessica Boehm, Axios, 17 Oct. 2024 Interviews have been edited for clarity and brevity. Sarah Carrillo, refinery29.com, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for brevity 

Word History

Etymology

Latin brevitas, from brevis — see breve

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of brevity was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near brevity

Cite this Entry

“Brevity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brevity. Accessed 6 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

brevity

noun
brev·​i·​ty ˈbrev-ət-ē How to pronounce brevity (audio)
: the condition of being brief

More from Merriam-Webster on brevity

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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