brevity

American  

[brev-i-tee] / ˈbrɛv ɪ ti /

noun

1. shortness of time or duration; briefness.

   the brevity of human life.

   Antonyms:

   length

2. the quality of expressing much in few words; terseness.

   Ironically, it is long-winded Polonius in Shakespeare's Hamlet who famously says that brevity is the soul of wit.

   Synonyms:

   pithiness, succinctness, compactness

   Antonyms:

   length

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brevity British  

/ ˈbrɛvɪtɪ /

noun

1. conciseness of expression; lack of verbosity

2. a short duration; brief time

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Synonym Usage

Brevity, conciseness refer to the use of few words in speaking. Brevity emphasizes the short duration of speech: a response reduced to extreme brevity. Conciseness emphasizes compactness of expression: Her prose is clear in spite of great conciseness.

Etymology

Origin of brevity

First recorded in 1500–10; from Anglo-French brevite, Old French brievete, from briev(e), feminine of brief brief + -ete -ity

Explanation

The noun brevity means "shortness" or "conciseness." If you give a report on agriculture in the northern hemisphere in 3 minutes, you have done it with incredible brevity. Brevity comes from brevis, which means "brief" in Latin. You can use brevity for things that are literally short, like the brevity of an elevator meeting, or the quality of fleetingness, like the brevity of youth. Brevity is also a style of speaking or writing with economy. "Brevity is the soul of wit," remarks Polonius in Shakespeare's Hamlet, suggesting that witty people know how to make a point without unnecessary words.

Example Sentences

Numerous Stoic writings, such as Seneca's "On the Brevity of Life," evoke similar imagery of running water to warn against placing one's happiness in external comforts and securities, which, like a current, quickly pass.

From Salon • Sep. 3, 2022

Brevity was the theme – perhaps to appeal to weary senators, utterly whipped by events of the past week.

From Fox News • Jan. 26, 2020

Brevity was evidently not a Rosenmüller hallmark, and “doing a complete vespers,” Ms. Toth wrote, “would be a very full evening.”

From New York Times • Dec. 31, 2017

Brevity was another virtue Luther practiced in print.

From Washington Post • Oct. 26, 2017

Brevity is the soul of wit, and of many other virtues in writing.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker