Where does “overbrief” come from?

overbrief (English) comes from English over, from Middle English over, from Old English ōfer, from Proto-West Germanic obar, from Proto-Germanic uber, from Proto-Indo-European upér, from Proto-Indo-European upó, from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp-.

overbrief (English): Excessively brief

Definitions

  1. Excessively brief

Ancestry of “overbrief”, step by step

overbrief traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English over

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishoverDiscontinued; ended or concluded; Thoroughly;...
2Middle Englishoverriverbank, seashore, brink
3Old Englishōferriverbank, seashore, brink, edge, margin, border
4Proto-West Germanicobarover, above
5Proto-Germanicuberover; over, above
6Proto-Indo-Europeanupérabove; over
7Proto-Indo-Europeanupóunder, below
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ewp-

via English brief

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbriefOf short duration; happening quickly; Concise;...
2Middle Englishbrefconcise; brief; diminutive, little
3Old Frenchbriefbrief, short in length; letter or statement
4Latinbrevisshort, small, little, narrow; brief, short;...
5Proto-Italic*breɣʷis
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmréǵʰusshort; brief
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmreǵʰ-short
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp-
overbrief — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer