breu

Catalan

Etymology

Inherited from Latin brevem. Compare Occitan brèu.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic, Valencia) [ˈbɾew]

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

Adjective

breu m or f (masculine and feminine plural breus)

1. short
2. brief

Derived terms

• breument
• en breu

Related terms

• abreujar
• brevetat

Noun

breu m (plural breus)

1. (orthography) breve
2. sigil

Derived terms

• breu pontifici

Further reading

• “breu”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007
• “breu”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025
• “breu” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “breu” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Galician

Etymology

From a Celtic language. Compare Spanish brea.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɾɛw/

Noun

breu m (plural breus)

1. tar, pitch
2. mud hardened by frost
3. fog, mist

Synonyms

• brea, alcatrén, piche, recina, cerne

Middle English

Noun

breu

1. alternative form of brewe

Old Occitan

Etymology

From Latin brevem, accusative singular of brevis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɾɛw/

Adjective

breu

1. short

Descendants

• Occitan: brèu

Portuguese

Etymology

From French brai (“pitch”). Compare Spanish brea.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈbɾew/ [ˈbɾeʊ̯]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈbɾew/

• Rhymes: -ew

Noun

breu m (plural breus)

1. tar, pitch

   Synonyms: piche, pez

2. (figuratively) darkness (lack of light)

   Synonyms: escuro, escuridão

   estar um breu ― to be very dark

Further reading

• “breu”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2025
• “breu”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2025
• “breu”, in Dicionário infopédia da Lingua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2025
• “breu”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2025