Word of the Day

: March 9, 2007

succinct

adjective suk-SINKT

What It Means

: marked by compact precise expression without wasted words

succinct in Context

When the laconic Calvin Coolidge announced his decision not to seek reelection, his succinct statement upheld his reputation as one inclined to be brief: "I do not choose to run for President in 1928."

Did You Know?

The history of "succinct" might not be short, but it's a cinch to remember. "Succinct" traces to the Latin verb "succingere" ("to gird about"), which comes from "cingere" ("to gird"), the word that gave us "cincture" and "cinch." The earliest uses of "succinct" meant "confined" or "girded up," and, as such, it was often used in reference to garments encircled by a band. Eventually, "succinct" was extended to the realm of insects, where it meant "supported by a band of silk around the middle" (as in "the succinct pupa of a butterfly"). Later, the word was applied to writings. A "succinct" piece of writing is "compressed" or "compact" and uses as few words as possible.