Definition

A whole note in music that lasts for four beats in common time.

Example

In the piece, the composer used a semibreve to hold the note for a full measure.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of a semibreve in music?

Yeah, it’s that whole note, right?

Exactly! I learned about it in my music class last week.

That’s cool! It’s interesting how notes can have different lengths.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

**Semibreve** → It is formed from "semi-" (meaning half) and "brevis" (meaning short). The word "semibreve" refers to a musical note that is half the length of a breve, or a whole note, hence the name half short.

Memory Tip

Think of 'semi-' meaning half and 'brevis' meaning short — a semibreve is a note that is half the length of a whole note.

Visually Confused Words