brevet

1 of 2

noun

bre·​vet bri-ˈvet How to pronounce brevet (audio)
 chiefly British  ˈbre-vit
: a commission giving a military officer higher nominal rank than that for which pay is received

brevet

2 of 2

verb

brevetted or breveted; brevetting or breveting

transitive verb

: to confer rank upon by brevet

Examples of brevet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Most notably, George Armstrong Custer was a brevet (acting) major general in the Civil War and reverted to captain after the war before eventually being promoted to lieutenant colonel. Dp Opinion, The Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, document, from Anglo-French, diminutive of bref letter — more at brief

First Known Use

Noun

1689, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1812, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of brevet was in 1689

Dictionary Entries Near brevet

Cite this Entry

“Brevet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brevet. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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