semibreve

American

[sem-ee-breev, -brev, sem-ahy-] / ˈsɛm iˌbriv, -ˌbrɛv, ˈsɛm aɪ- /

noun

Music (chiefly British).

a note half the length of a breve; whole note.

semibreve British

/ ˈsɛmɪˌbriːv /

noun

Usual US and Canadian name: whole note. music a note, now the longest in common use, having a time value that may be divided by any power of 2 to give all other notes See also breve

"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

Etymology

Origin of semibreve

First recorded in 1585–95; semi- + breve

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.

There is only one step to each Semibreve, so the tune must have been played fast.

From Shakespeare and Music With Illustrations from the Music of the 16th and 17th centuries by Naylor, Edward W. (Edward Woodall)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023