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Glite Dictionary
🔡 A short mark 🎵 A long note
breve

breve

9.9
A very long musical note that lasts twice as long as a whole note
  • noun
  • /brɛv/
  • Specialized
translation icon : breve
  • In the word 'cup', the breve above the 'u' shows it is a short vowel.

Examples

  • A breve is often used in dictionaries to help with pronunciation.

  • The choir held the breve for its full value during the performance.

  • The letter 'a' has a breve in this word.

  • Can you show me how to use a breve?

  • In the word 'cup', the breve above the 'u' indicates that it is a short vowel.

  • A breve is commonly used in phonetics to show that a vowel is pronounced shortly.

  • The pronunciation guide includes a breve to help readers understand vowel lengths.

Synonyms

brevis
vsbreve
  • Archaic
9.9

A very long musical note used in medieval and Renaissance music

is the more general name for that same musical value

Compounds

alla breve
  • Specialized
9.9

A way of writing music that has two strong beats in each bar

os breve
  • Specialized
9.9

A short bone like a wrist or ankle bone

How Long

breve
  • Specialized
9.9
semibreve
  • UK
8.3
half note
  • Specialized
1 3.6
quarter note
  • Specialized
1 3.9
eighth note
  • Specialized
1 4.8
sixteenth note
  • Specialized
1 5.8

Surface Forms

breve singular
breves plural

Etymology

Breve comes from the Latin word brevis 'short'. The musical breve kept that name because it was once a 'short' note compared with even longer notes, so the same root links the vowel mark and the music term, even though today the musical breve is a very long note.