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 This is a condensed version of the conversation, edited for clarity and brevity. Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2024 Those questions and their responses are below, edited for clarity and brevity. Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2024 This conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity. Deborah Balthazar, STAT, 1 Mar. 2024 Please note: Some questions have been edited for clarity and brevity. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 1 Mar. 2024 These interviews have been edited for clarity and brevity. Stephanie Tharpe, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Questions and answers have been edited for clarity and brevity. Jim Owczarski, Journal Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2024 The interview transcript has been edited for clarity and brevity. Brad Branan, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2024 The process is like a slowly maturing whisky, and standing in the thick of Flow Country puts the brevity of life into perspective. Aaron Hicklin, Travel + Leisure, 19 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'brevity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 19 Mar. 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

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