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
Verb
Dabney, the curator at Petersburg, finds a metaphor in the story of Hart, who was a captain promoted to brevet major in 1865 as the war ended. Phil Gast, CNN, 30 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'brevet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 28 Mar. 2024.

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