concise, terse, succinct, laconic, summary, pithy, compendious mean very brief in statement or expression. concise suggests the removal of all that is superfluous or elaborative.

TERSE definition: 1. using few words, sometimes in a way that seems rude or unfriendly: 2. using few words…. Learn more.

TERSE definition: neatly or effectively concise; brief and pithy, as language. See examples of terse used in a sentence.

Brief and to the point; effectively concise: a terse one-word answer. [Latin tersus, past participle of tergēre, to cleanse.]

Definition of terse adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Oct 31, 2025 · From Latin tersus (“clean, cleansed, rubbed or wiped off; neat, spruce; terse”), perfect passive participle of Latin tergeō, tergō (“to clean, cleanse, rub, wipe, wipe off”).

Terse definition: Brief and to the point; effectively concise.

Terse means brief, or using very few words. If your teacher tells you to make your writing in your essay style terse and to the point, he's saying use as few words as you can and be simple and clear.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025 terse (tûrs), adj. ters•er, ters•est. neatly or effectively concise; brief and pithy, as language. abruptly concise; curt; …

A terse statement or comment is brief and unfriendly. He issued a terse statement, saying he is discussing his future with colleagues before announcing his decision on Monday.