Where does “semibreve” come from?

semibreve (English) comes from Italian semibreve, from Italian breve, from Medieval Latin breve, from Latin brevis, from Proto-Italic *breɣʷis, from Proto-Indo-European mréǵʰus, from Proto-Indo-European mreǵʰ- — short.

semibreve (English): A musical note four beats long in 4/4 time; a...

Definitions

  1. A musical note four beats long in 4/4 time; a...

Ancestry of “semibreve”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Italiansemibrevesemibreve
2Italianbrevebrief, short; narrow; short
3Medieval Latinbreve—
4Latinbrevisshort, small, little, narrow; brief, short;...
5Proto-Italic*breɣʷis—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmréǵʰusshort; brief
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmreǵʰ-short
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mreǵʰ- →