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terse

[ turs ]
/ tɜrs /
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See synonyms for: terse / terseness on Thesaurus.com
adjective, ters·er, ters·est.
neatly or effectively concise; brief and pithy, as language.
abruptly concise; curt; brusque.
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THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
Question 1 of 7
In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
candystring
candyfloss
candypuff
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Origin of terse

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin tersus, past participle of tergēre “to rub off, wipe off, clean, polish”

synonym study for terse

1, 2. See concise.

OTHER WORDS FROM terse

terse·ly, adverbterse·ness, nounun·terse, adjectiveun·terse·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to terse

brusque, concise, cryptic, curt, elliptical, incisive, laconic, pithy, precise, succinct, trenchant, abrupt, aphoristic, boiled down, breviloquent, clear-cut, clipped, close, compact, compendious

How to use terse in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for terse

terse
/ (tɜːs) /
adjective
neatly brief and concise
curt; abrupt

Derived forms of terse

tersely, adverbterseness, noun

Word Origin for terse

C17: from Latin tersus precise, from tergēre to polish
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
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