expressing or covering much in few words; brief in form but comprehensive in scope; succinct; terse: a concise explanation of the company's retirement plan.
Origin: 1580–90; < L concīsus cut short (ptp. of concīdere), equiv. to con-con-+ -cīd- (comb. form of caedere to cut) + -tus ptp. ending
Related forms:
con⋅cise⋅ly, adverb
Synonyms: pithy, compendious, laconic. Concise,succinct,terse all refer to speech or writing that uses few words to say much. Concise usually implies that unnecessary details or verbiage have been eliminated from a more wordy statement: a concise summary of the speech. Succinct, on the other hand, implies that the message is as originally composed and is expressed in as few words as possible: a succinct statement of the problem. Terse sometimes suggests brevity combined with wit or polish to produce particularly effective expression: a terse, almost aphoristic, style. It may also suggest brusqueness or curtness: a terse reply that was almost rude.
c.1590, from L. concisus "cut off, brief," pp. of concidere "to cut off," from com- intensive prefix + caedere "to cut," from PIE *kae-id- "to strike" (cf. Skt. skhidati "beats, tears," Lith. kaisti "shave").
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