Terse
/tɜːrs/noun
Using very few words and expressing something directly.
Did you know?Latin writers used tersus for speech that was polished, refined, and free of verbal clutter—an ancient ideal of linguistic purification.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*terǵ-
“To rub, wipe, or polish”
Ancient Latin
Latin
tergēre
“To wipe, rub, or cleanse”
Classical Latin
Latin
tersus
“Wiped clean, polished, refined”
16th Century
Latin
tersus
“Transferred into English scholarly usage for polished or refined style”
17th Century
English
terse
“Concise and neatly expressed”
Modern English
English
terse
“Brief, direct, and sometimes curt in expression”
Explore more surprising origins