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breve

 - 3 dictionary results

breve

  [breev, brev]
Use breve in a Sentence
–noun
1. a mark (˘) over a vowel to show that it is short, or to indicate a specific pronunciation, as ŭ in (kŭt) cut.
2. Law.
a. an initial writ.
b. a writ, as one issued by a court of law.
3. Music.
a. the longest modern note, equivalent to two semibreves or whole notes.
b. Also, brevis. a note in medieval mensural notation equal to one-half or one-third of a longa.
4. Prosody. a mark (˘) over a syllable to show that it is not stressed.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME < ML, L breve, neut. of brevis short; see brief
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To breve
breve   (brěv, brēv)   
n.  

  1. A symbol ( ˘ ) placed over a vowel to show that it has a short sound, as the a in bat.

  2. A curved mark used to indicate a short or unstressed syllable of verse.

  3. Music A note equivalent to two whole notes.


[Middle English, written communication, from Old French, from Medieval Latin, short syllable, from Latin, neuter of brevis, short; see brief.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

breve 
1460, musical notation indicating two whole notes, from L. breve (adj.) "short." the grammatical curved line placed over a vowel to indicate "shortness" (1548) is from the same source.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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