brevity
Americannoun
-
shortness of time or duration; briefness.
the brevity of human life.
- Antonyms:
- length
-
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
noun
-
conciseness of expression; lack of verbosity
-
a short duration; brief time
Related Words
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.
Vocabulary lists containing brevity
Grade 11, List 1
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The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "B"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Yet the brevity of this pre-election period "will likely not have much of an effect", said Michael Cucek, assistant professor of Asian Studies at Temple University's Japan Campus.
From Barron's • Jan. 27, 2026
His statement was notable for its relative, and unusual, brevity – but primarily for its vagueness.
From BBC • Aug. 16, 2025
Short films contextualize the seeming randomness and brevity of human existence.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2025
Don’t let the brevity of this list fool you!
From Salon • Feb. 22, 2025
She smiled at Chester, and Lovey and the women from her cabin, with brevity and efficiency.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
