briefness C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas US /ˈbrifnəs/ UK /ˈbriːfnəs/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 noun the quality of being short in duration or expression; brevity The briefness of his visit left much unsaid. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 noun · the quality of being short... brevityconcisenessshortnesssuccinctnessterseness ↔ Opposites lengthverbositylongevityprolixity Word family Related forms briefbrieflybrevity Etymology AI details From brief (via Old French bref, from Latin brevis, 'short') + the noun-forming suffix -ness. brevis Latin View etymology graph -> Topics Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives External links Google Images Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary # briefness **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /ˈbrifnəs/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈbriːfnəs/ ## Meanings 1. the quality of being short in duration or expression; brevity ## Examples - The briefness of his visit left much unsaid. ## Synonyms - brevity - conciseness - shortness - succinctness - terseness ## Antonyms - length - verbosity - longevity - prolixity ## Related Forms - brief - briefly - brevity ## Roots and Affixes - Root: brevis ## Etymology From brief (via Old French bref, from Latin brevis, 'short') + the noun-forming suffix -ness. ## AI Etymology Briefness comes from brief (via Old French bref, from Latin brevis, 'short') + the noun-forming suffix -ness. The historical trail runs through brevis in Latin. Morphologically, briefness is transparent: it draws on brief (via Old French bref, from Latin brevis, 'short') + the noun-forming suffix -ness. Used as a noun, briefness now means "the quality of being short in duration or expression; brevity", so the present definition can be read against the older forms and meanings. The same lexical family is also visible in related forms such as brief, briefly, and brevity. The result is a borrowed or transmitted form whose modern spelling carries a compact record of its route into English. ## Topics - Abstract Ideas - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown