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breve

[ breev, brev ]
/ briv, brɛv /

noun

a mark (˘) over a vowel to show that it is short, or to indicate a specific pronunciation, as ŭ in (kŭt) cut.
Law.
  1. an initial writ.
  2. a writ, as one issued by a court of law.
Music.
  1. the longest modern note, equivalent to two semibreves or whole notes.
  2. Also brevis. a note in medieval mensural notation equal to one-half or one-third of a longa.
Prosody. a mark (˘) over a syllable to show that it is not stressed.

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Origin of breve

1250–1300; Middle English <Medieval Latin, Latin breve, neuter of brevis short; see brief

Words nearby breve

Breuer chair, Breughel, breunnerite, Breus mole, brev., breve, brevet, brevi-, breviary, brevicaudate, brevicollis
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for breve

British Dictionary definitions for breve

breve
/ (briːv) /

noun

an accent, (˘), placed over a vowel to indicate that it is of short duration or is pronounced in a specified way
music a note, now rarely used, equivalent in time value to two semibreves
RC Church a less common word for brief (def. 7)

Word Origin for breve

C13: from Medieval Latin breve, from Latin brevis short; see brief
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012