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Etymology
Dictionary
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Origin of the word BRIEF. Etymology of the word
BRIEF.
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From An Etymology
Dictionary of the English Language, by Walter W. Skeat, 1893 |
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BRIEF (1),
short. (F.,—L.) Spelt brief in Barnes' Works, p.
347, col. I, last line. In older English we find bref, breef,
P. Plowman, C. xxiii. 327; with the dimin. breuet (brevet), P.
Plowman, C. i. 72.—F. brief (so spelt in Cotgrave); mod. F. bref.—Lat.
breuis, short. + Gk. βραχύς, short. Perhaps from a root BARGH, to
tear; see Fick, i. 684; Curtius, i. 363. Der. brief-ly. BRIEF
(2), a letter, &c.
(F.,—L.) Cotgrave has: 'Brief, m. a writ, or brief; a
short mandamus, injunction, commission, &c.' See
above. Der. brief-less.
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| Etymology
Dictionary Index |
| A, B,
C, D, E,
F, G, H,
I, J, K,
L, M, N,
O, P, Q,
R, S, T,
U, V, W,
X, Y, Z
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| Key |
| Arab.=Arabic. |
| A.S.=Anglo
Saxon. |
| Bavar.=Bavarian |
| Bohem.=Bohemian. |
| C.=Celtic,
used as a general term for Irish, Gaelic, Welsh, Breton,
Cornish, &c. |
| Corn.=Cornish. |
| Dan.=Danish. |
| Du.=Dutch |
| E.=English. |
| E.E.=Early
English. |
| Europ.=European. |
| F.=French. |
| G.=German. |
| Gk.=Greek. |
| Goth.=Gothic. |
| Icel.=Icelandic. |
| Ital.=Italian. |
| L. or
Lat.=Latin. |
| Lith.
& Lithuan.=Lithuanian. |
| M.E.=Middle
English. |
| M.F.=Middle
French |
| M.H.G.=Middle
High German. |
| Norw.=Norwegian. |
| O.F.=Old
French. |
| O.H.G.=Old
High German. |
| Pers.=Persian. |
| Port.=Portuguese. |
| Scand.=Scandinavian,
used as a general term for Icelandic, Swedish, Danish,
&c. |
| Sc.=Scottish. |
| Skt.=Sanskrit. |
| Span.=Spanish. |
| Swed.=Sweish. |
| Teut.=Teutonic |
| Turk.=Turkish. |
| W.=Welsh. |
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