Brief

See also brief

German

Etymology

From Middle High German brief, from Old High German briaf, which is borrowed from Latin breve, a neuter form of Latin brevis (“short”). Cognates include Middle Dutch and Dutch brief, Old Norse bréf, Old Saxon brēf (all of them borrowed from Latin) and English brief.

Pronunciation

• audio (Austria)

  (file)

• IPA: /ˈbʁiːf/

Noun

Brief m. (genitive Briefs or Briefes, plural Briefe)

1. letter (written message)

Declension

declension of Brief

	singular			plural
m. gender	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Brief	die	Briefe
genitive	eines	des	Briefes, Briefs	der	Briefe
dative	einem	dem	Brief, Briefe (archaic)	den	Briefen
accusative	einen	den	Brief	die	Briefe

Derived terms

• Briefbeschwerer
• Briefmarke
• Briefumschlag
• Briefträger