brevity
BREV-uh-tee
/ˈbrev.ə.ti/
concise and exact use of words in writing or speech; shortness of time duration.
Describes the abstract quality or attribute of being short, whether in speech, text, or life span.
The story behind the word. Directly descended from Latin brevitas ('shortness'), built on the root brevis. It crossed into Anglo-Norman French as breveté before settling into Middle English. Its most famous English showcase came via Polonius in Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Word relationships
- shortness: Shortness is a plain, everyday word; brevity is formal and carries literary elegance.
- ephemerality: Ephemerality focuses on fleeting existence, whereas brevity can refer to intentional linguistic restraint.
- longevity: Longevity refers to long duration or long life.
- verbosity: Verbosity is the quality of using an excessive number of words.
Commonly confused with
- briefness: Briefness is a valid word, but brevity is far more common in formal writing and literature.
Word family
- brief (adjective): lasting a short time; using few words
- briefly (adverb): for a short time; in a few words
Collocations
- for the sake of brevity
- admirable brevity
- brevity of life
- characteristic brevity
Idioms & expressions
- brevity is the soul of wit
Example sentences
- "Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit, and tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes, I will be brief." Shakespeare citation
- "The audience appreciated the brevity of the keynote address on a hot afternoon." Speechwriting advice
Memory hook
BREVITY is the key to keeping things BRIEF. The soul of wit.
When not to use
Do not use as an adjective; the adjective form is brief.
Fun facts
- Polonius utters 'brevity is the soul of wit' during a speech where he refuses to stop talking, creating classic dramatic irony.
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.