Word of the day · 15 April 2026
brevity
/ˈbrɛvɪti/
noun
Shortness of time or expression; concise wording.
In a sentence
- The briefing won praise for its brevity.
- Brevity matters when the radio window is thirty seconds.
- She edited for brevity without cutting the facts.
In an image
Origin
From Latin brevitas (shortness), from brevis (short).
History
Shakespeare's line about the soul of wit made brevity famous in English classrooms. Editors still chase it in headlines and briefs. Brevity is not emptiness. It is disciplined selection so the reader finishes with the point intact.
Nearby words
conciseness · shortness · terseness
Say enough, then stop.