noun

brevity

BREV-ih-tee

Brevity (noun) means the quality of using few words; concise and economical expression. Example: “Her emails are admired for their brevity.”

noun

The quality of using few words; concise and economical expression.

"Her emails are admired for their brevity."

"For the sake of brevity I have left out the technical detail."

Shortness of duration.

"The brevity of the visit surprised everyone."

"Given the brevity of the season, tickets sold out at once."

How to Use Brevity

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishKeeping things short.

When to use it

Formal to neutral; common in writing about style, editing and public speaking.

Memory tip

Brevity is about length. Clarity is about being understood, and the two do not always go together.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

clarity → concision abbreviation →

Common pairings

for the sake of brevity admirable brevity brevity of life

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Her emails are admired for their _____.

Etymology

From Latin brevitas, from brevis meaning short.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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conciseness succinctness terseness economy pithiness shortness briefness

Antonyms

verbosity long-windedness wordiness

Related Words

economy saving efficiency economist shortness verbiage no-frills

Rhymes for brevity

city pity deity acuity parity entity opacity paucity ability quality reality annuity

See all rhymes for brevity →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does brevity is the soul of wit mean?

The line is spoken by Polonius in Shakespeare's Hamlet, and means that intelligence and humour are sharpest when expressed briefly. It is quoted, usually as gentle criticism, to tell someone they are going on too long.

What is the difference between brevity and concision?

Brevity is simply shortness, whether or not anything is lost. Concision means saying everything necessary in as few words as possible, so it implies that nothing important was cut. A concise piece is always brief; a brief piece is not always concise.

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