adj · noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈbɹiːfə/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ˈbɹifɚ/
CMU ARPABET:B R IY1 F ER0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
comparative form of brief: more brief
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: comparative, form-of
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
One who provides a briefing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *mreǵh- Proto-Indo-European *-us Proto-Indo-European *mréǵhusder. Proto-Italic *breɣwis Latin brevisder. Old French briefbor. Old French brievebor. Middle English bref English brief Proto-Indo-European *-yōs Proto-Germanic *-izô Proto-West Germanic *-iʀō Proto-Germanic *-ōzô Proto-West Germanic *-ōʀō Old English -ra Middle English -ere English -er English briefer From brief (adjective) + -er (comparative suffix).