Brevitas

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A quality that refers to conciseness and succinctness in expression or writing
2. an approach that emphasizes clarity and economy of words
3. a style that conveys much with few words, often appreciated in literature and speech

Etymology: Ancient Latin speakers used "brevis" for anything short, whether in length or in time. "Brevitas" is the noun built from it, meaning shortness or brevity. Roman writers valued conciseness in speech and writing, and the Latin term came to describe the ideal of making a point in as few words as possible. The same root gave English "brevity", which arrived through Old French and keeps the sense of a short, pointed statement. Its Greek cousin "brachys", also meaning short, appears in English scientific terms such as "brachycephalic", used of a short, broad skull, so the family of words reaches well beyond speech.

Synonyms: brevity, conciseness

Antonyms: verbosity, lengthiness