brevity
Concise and exact use of words; shortness of time or duration
Examples
In a meeting
“For brevity, I'll skip the background and go straight to results.”
Over coffee
“I appreciated the brevity of that meeting for once.”
Why this word
shortness
brevity emphasizes conciseness as a deliberate quality or virtue, while shortness is more neutral and physical
conciseness
brevity emphasizes the short duration or length itself, while conciseness specifically focuses on expressing much in few words
terseness
brevity is neutral or positive about being brief, while terseness can suggest curtness or abruptness in communication
Usage tip
Often positive when discussing communication; famous phrase: 'brevity is the soul of wit'
Etymology
Latin 'brevitas' meaning 'shortness' (from 'brevis' short)
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Related words
broach
To bring up or introduce a topic for discussion
concise
Giving a lot of information clearly in few words.
ambiguous
Open to more than one interpretation; not clear or decided.
convey
To communicate or make an idea, feeling, or meaning known.
reiterate
To say something again for emphasis or clarity.
paraphrase
To restate something in different words to make it clearer or shorter.