"shortness," especially in speech or writing, c. 1500, from Latin brevitatem (nominative brevitas) "shortness" in space or time, from brevis "short" (from PIE root *mregh-u- "short").
Entries linking to brevity
*mregh-u-
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "short."
It forms all or part of: abbreviate; abbreviation; abridge; amphibrach; brace; bracelet; brachio-; brachiopod; brachiosaurus; brachy-; brassiere; breviary; brevity; brief; brumal; brume; embrace; merry; mirth; pretzel; vambrace.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Greek brakhys "short;" Latin brevis "short, low, little, shallow;" Old Church Slavonic bruzeja "shallow places, shoals;" Gothic gamaurgjan "to shorten."