See bref in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
{
"derived": [
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
"word": "brevely"
}
],
"descendants": [
{
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"word": "brief"
},
{
"lang": "Fingallian",
"lang_code": "gmw-fin",
"word": "brief"
},
{
"lang": "Scots",
"lang_code": "sco",
"word": "brief"
}
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "fro",
"3": "brief"
},
"expansion": "Old French brief",
"name": "bor"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "la",
"3": "brevis"
},
"expansion": "Latin brevis",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "itc-pro",
"3": "*breɣʷis"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Italic *breɣʷis",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*mréǵʰus"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *mréǵʰus",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "mery"
},
"expansion": "Doublet of mery",
"name": "doublet"
}
],
"etymology_text": "Borrowed from Old French brief, and its feminine form brieve, from Latin brevis, from Proto-Italic *breɣʷis, from Proto-Indo-European *mréǵʰus. Doublet of mery.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "breve",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
},
{
"form": "breve",
"tags": [
"singular",
"weak"
]
},
{
"form": "breef",
"tags": [
"alternative"
]
},
{
"form": "breve",
"tags": [
"alternative"
]
},
{
"form": "brefe",
"tags": [
"alternative"
]
},
{
"form": "breefe",
"tags": [
"alternative"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "adjective",
"3": "plural and weak singular",
"4": "breve",
"5": "",
"6": "{{{2}}}",
"7": "",
"8": "{{{3}}}",
"head": ""
},
"expansion": "bref (plural and weak singular breve)",
"name": "head"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "breve"
},
"expansion": "bref (plural and weak singular breve)",
"name": "enm-adj"
}
],
"lang": "Middle English",
"lang_code": "enm",
"pos": "adj",
"senses": [
{
"glosses": [
"concise (having a short word-count)"
],
"id": "en-bref-enm-adj-KqamGUL5",
"links": [
[
"concise",
"concise"
]
]
},
{
"glosses": [
"brief (short, ephemeral or quick)"
],
"id": "en-bref-enm-adj-d6c--PJ8",
"links": [
[
"brief",
"brief"
]
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"glosses": [
"diminutive, little"
],
"id": "en-bref-enm-adj-gg2y-Gi1",
"links": [
[
"diminutive",
"diminutive"
],
[
"little",
"little"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(rare) diminutive, little"
],
"tags": [
"rare"
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"glosses": [
"stupid"
],
"id": "en-bref-enm-adj-wtIUpITp",
"links": [
[
"stupid",
"stupid"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(rare) stupid"
],
"tags": [
"rare"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/breːf/"
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈbreːv(ə)/"
}
],
"word": "bref"
}
{
"descendants": [
{
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"word": "brief"
},
{
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"word": "breve"
},
{
"lang": "Scots",
"lang_code": "sco",
"word": "brief"
},
{
"lang": "Scots",
"lang_code": "sco",
"word": "brieve"
},
{
"lang": "Scots",
"lang_code": "sco",
"word": "breef"
},
{
"lang": "Scots",
"lang_code": "sco",
"word": "briefe"
}
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "fro",
"3": "brief"
},
"expansion": "Old French brief",
"name": "bor"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "la",
"3": "brevis"
},
"expansion": "Latin brevis",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "itc-pro",
"3": "*breɣʷis"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Italic *breɣʷis",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*mréǵʰus"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *mréǵʰus",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "mery"
},
"expansion": "Doublet of mery",
"name": "doublet"
}
],
"etymology_text": "Borrowed from Old French brief, and its feminine form brieve, from Latin brevis, from Proto-Italic *breɣʷis, from Proto-Indo-European *mréǵʰus. Doublet of mery.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "brefes",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
},
{
"form": "breef",
"tags": [
"alternative"
]
},
{
"form": "breve",
"tags": [
"alternative"
]
},
{
"form": "brefe",
"tags": [
"alternative"
]
},
{
"form": "breefe",
"tags": [
"alternative"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "noun",
"g": "",
"g2": "",
"g3": "",
"head": "",
"sort": ""
},
"expansion": "bref",
"name": "head"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "brefes"
},
"expansion": "bref (plural brefes)",
"name": "enm-noun"
}
],
"lang": "Middle English",
"lang_code": "enm",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "0 0 0 0 100 0 0 0",
"kind": "other",
"langcode": "enm",
"name": "Communication",
"orig": "enm:Communication",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"A message, especially one that gives approval or authorises."
],
"id": "en-bref-enm-noun-~ggOaLMg",
"links": [
[
"message",
"message"
]
]
},
{
"glosses": [
"brief (writ, summons)"
],
"id": "en-bref-enm-noun-zurErrZ1",
"links": [
[
"brief",
"brief"
]
]
},
{
"glosses": [
"A written text or part of one acting as a record."
],
"id": "en-bref-enm-noun-Blcj7Emp",
"links": [
[
"text",
"text"
],
[
"record",
"record"
]
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"kind": "other",
"langcode": "enm",
"name": "Music",
"orig": "enm:Music",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"_dis": "3 25 5 27 2 3 1 0 8 3 2 20",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with 7 entries",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "2 28 5 30 1 2 1 0 7 2 1 22",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with entries",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "8 11 3 1 15 13 4 46",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "1 23 3 0 5 25 10 33",
"kind": "other",
"langcode": "enm",
"name": "Law",
"orig": "enm:Law",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"breve (double whole note)"
],
"id": "en-bref-enm-noun-fOo9VUZl",
"links": [
[
"music",
"music"
],
[
"breve",
"breve"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(rare, music) breve (double whole note)"
],
"tags": [
"rare"
],
"topics": [
"entertainment",
"lifestyle",
"music"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/breːf/"
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈbreːv(ə)/"
}
],
"word": "bref"
}
{
"categories": [
"Middle English adjectives",
"Middle English doublets",
"Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
"Middle English lemmas",
"Middle English nouns",
"Middle English terms borrowed from Old French",
"Middle English terms derived from Latin",
"Middle English terms derived from Old French",
"Middle English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
"Middle English terms derived from Proto-Italic",
"Pages with 7 entries",
"Pages with entries",
"enm:Communication",
"enm:Law"
],
"derived": [
{
"word": "brevely"
}
],
"descendants": [
{
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"word": "brief"
},
{
"lang": "Fingallian",
"lang_code": "gmw-fin",
"word": "brief"
},
{
"lang": "Scots",
"lang_code": "sco",
"word": "brief"
}
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "fro",
"3": "brief"
},
"expansion": "Old French brief",
"name": "bor"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "la",
"3": "brevis"
},
"expansion": "Latin brevis",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "itc-pro",
"3": "*breɣʷis"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Italic *breɣʷis",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*mréǵʰus"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *mréǵʰus",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "mery"
},
"expansion": "Doublet of mery",
"name": "doublet"
}
],
"etymology_text": "Borrowed from Old French brief, and its feminine form brieve, from Latin brevis, from Proto-Italic *breɣʷis, from Proto-Indo-European *mréǵʰus. Doublet of mery.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "breve",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
},
{
"form": "breve",
"tags": [
"singular",
"weak"
]
},
{
"form": "breef",
"tags": [
"alternative"
]
},
{
"form": "breve",
"tags": [
"alternative"
]
},
{
"form": "brefe",
"tags": [
"alternative"
]
},
{
"form": "breefe",
"tags": [
"alternative"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "adjective",
"3": "plural and weak singular",
"4": "breve",
"5": "",
"6": "{{{2}}}",
"7": "",
"8": "{{{3}}}",
"head": ""
},
"expansion": "bref (plural and weak singular breve)",
"name": "head"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "breve"
},
"expansion": "bref (plural and weak singular breve)",
"name": "enm-adj"
}
],
"lang": "Middle English",
"lang_code": "enm",
"pos": "adj",
"senses": [
{
"glosses": [
"concise (having a short word-count)"
],
"links": [
[
"concise",
"concise"
]
]
},
{
"glosses": [
"brief (short, ephemeral or quick)"
],
"links": [
[
"brief",
"brief"
]
]
},
{
"categories": [
"Middle English terms with rare senses"
],
"glosses": [
"diminutive, little"
],
"links": [
[
"diminutive",
"diminutive"
],
[
"little",
"little"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(rare) diminutive, little"
],
"tags": [
"rare"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"Middle English terms with rare senses"
],
"glosses": [
"stupid"
],
"links": [
[
"stupid",
"stupid"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(rare) stupid"
],
"tags": [
"rare"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/breːf/"
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈbreːv(ə)/"
}
],
"word": "bref"
}
{
"categories": [
"Middle English adjectives",
"Middle English doublets",
"Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
"Middle English lemmas",
"Middle English nouns",
"Middle English terms borrowed from Old French",
"Middle English terms derived from Latin",
"Middle English terms derived from Old French",
"Middle English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
"Middle English terms derived from Proto-Italic",
"Pages with 7 entries",
"Pages with entries",
"enm:Communication",
"enm:Law"
],
"descendants": [
{
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"word": "brief"
},
{
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"word": "breve"
},
{
"lang": "Scots",
"lang_code": "sco",
"word": "brief"
},
{
"lang": "Scots",
"lang_code": "sco",
"word": "brieve"
},
{
"lang": "Scots",
"lang_code": "sco",
"word": "breef"
},
{
"lang": "Scots",
"lang_code": "sco",
"word": "briefe"
}
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "fro",
"3": "brief"
},
"expansion": "Old French brief",
"name": "bor"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "la",
"3": "brevis"
},
"expansion": "Latin brevis",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "itc-pro",
"3": "*breɣʷis"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Italic *breɣʷis",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*mréǵʰus"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *mréǵʰus",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "mery"
},
"expansion": "Doublet of mery",
"name": "doublet"
}
],
"etymology_text": "Borrowed from Old French brief, and its feminine form brieve, from Latin brevis, from Proto-Italic *breɣʷis, from Proto-Indo-European *mréǵʰus. Doublet of mery.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "brefes",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
},
{
"form": "breef",
"tags": [
"alternative"
]
},
{
"form": "breve",
"tags": [
"alternative"
]
},
{
"form": "brefe",
"tags": [
"alternative"
]
},
{
"form": "breefe",
"tags": [
"alternative"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "noun",
"g": "",
"g2": "",
"g3": "",
"head": "",
"sort": ""
},
"expansion": "bref",
"name": "head"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "brefes"
},
"expansion": "bref (plural brefes)",
"name": "enm-noun"
}
],
"lang": "Middle English",
"lang_code": "enm",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"glosses": [
"A message, especially one that gives approval or authorises."
],
"links": [
[
"message",
"message"
]
]
},
{
"glosses": [
"brief (writ, summons)"
],
"links": [
[
"brief",
"brief"
]
]
},
{
"glosses": [
"A written text or part of one acting as a record."
],
"links": [
[
"text",
"text"
],
[
"record",
"record"
]
]
},
{
"categories": [
"Middle English terms with rare senses",
"enm:Music"
],
"glosses": [
"breve (double whole note)"
],
"links": [
[
"music",
"music"
],
[
"breve",
"breve"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(rare, music) breve (double whole note)"
],
"tags": [
"rare"
],
"topics": [
"entertainment",
"lifestyle",
"music"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/breːf/"
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈbreːv(ə)/"
}
],
"word": "bref"
}
Download raw JSONL data for bref meaning in Middle English (5.5kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable Middle English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-12-31 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-12-20 using wiktextract (e97c820 and 9905b1f). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.