Definition

A curved symbol used in writing to show that a vowel is pronounced with a short sound or to indicate a short or unstressed syllable in poetry. In music, it refers to a note that is equal to two whole notes.

Example

In the word 'bat', the letter 'a' has a breve to show it is pronounced with a short sound.

Conversation

Did you know that a breve in music is equivalent to two whole notes?

Really? I had no idea!

Yeah, it’s a pretty cool concept for understanding rhythm.

That makes sense; I’ll have to pay more attention to those when I practice.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Breve comes from Latin 'brevis' (meaning short). The word 'breve' refers to something that is short in duration or extent, often used in musical notation to indicate a short note.

Memory Tip

Think of 'brevis' meaning short, and remember that 'breve' refers to something that is short in duration.

Visually Confused Words