Agency Dictionary
concise
adjectivePronunciation: /kənˈsaɪs/
In Portuguese: conciso
Writing & NarrativeWhat does “concise” mean?
Expressing comprehensive meaning clearly in few words, without superfluous or redundant phrasing.
Etymology
From Latin concisus, "cut off, brief", past participle of concidere, "to cut up, to cut short", formed from com- (here an intensive) and caedere ("to cut"). The word entered English in the late 16th century, possibly with the support of French concis. The image is that of speech or writing with everything unnecessary cut away. The same Latin verb caedere is behind precise, decide and incision.
Synonyms
- brief
- succinct
- terse
- pithy
- compact
- laconic
Often confused with
- precise
- Concise is about length: few words. Precise is about exactness: the right words. A text can be one without being the other.
Word family
- concisely
- conciseness
- concision
Rhymes with
- nice
- price
- twice
- advice
- slice
- device
Usage examples
an aphorism is a concise and often original statement of wisdom or truth
Writing.2 - Aphorisms Most philosophers write in an aphoristic style with numbered paragraphs - characterized by the use of concise statements to convey profound insights, philosophical principles, or reflections.
Concepts
- AphorismAn aphorism is a concise, memorable statement that expresses a general truth, ethical principle, or philosophical observation in very few words. Unlike casual sayings, it…
- Aphoristic StyleAphoristic style is a literary mode of writing composed of detached, numbered, or highly condensed statements that convey complex philosophical ideas with striking…
- Association of IdeasThe association of ideas is an epistemological principle stating that human thoughts, mental impressions, and concepts connect systematically through observable…
- Dialectical InquiryDialectical inquiry is a collaborative method of philosophical investigation that uncovers truth through the systematic resolution of opposing viewpoints, contradictions…
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
Words of the same theme
- Antithesisnoun
- A person, thing, or concept that represents the direct or exact opposite of another.
- Rebirthnoun
- A new beginning after a period of decline or destruction, used in mythology to describe the cyclical return to life after death. In Archetype.0, rebirth is the defining characteristic of both the Bennu and the Phoenix.
- Discursiveadjective
- Proceeding by reasoned argument or sequential exposition rather than by immediate visual intuition.
- paperweightnoun
- A small, heavy object placed on loose sheets of paper to prevent them from scattering or blowing away.
- omissionnoun
- The intentional or accidental act of leaving something out or excluding details from a statement or text.
- Treatisenoun
- A formal, systematic, and comprehensive written work dealing methodically with the principles and evidence of a particular philosophical, scientific, or technical subject.
- Accuracynoun
- The degree of precision, correctness, and exactitude with which a message or action reaches its intended mark.
Also from these editions: terms
- quotationnoun
- A group of words taken verbatim from a published text or speech and repeated by another author.
- eppur si muoveother
- An Italian phrase meaning and yet it moves. It is used to affirm that a fact remains true no matter who denies it.
- Maximnoun
- A concise statement expressing a fundamental principle, general truth, or practical rule of conduct.
- verbatimadjective
- In exactly the same words as the original, word for word. Said of a quotation or a transcription that changes nothing.
- clevernessnoun
- The mental quality of being quick-witted, agile, and ingenious in solving specific situational problems.
- rhetoricnoun
- The art of effective and persuasive speaking or writing, especially through strategic linguistic devices.
- literary devicenoun
- A technique that a writer uses to produce a particular effect or to convey meaning, such as metaphor, irony, repetition, quotation or aphorism.
- collective consciousnessnoun
- The set of beliefs, ideas and feelings shared by the members of a society, which exists beyond any single person. By extension, what a community knows and repeats in common.
- Byproductnoun
- A secondary, often unexpected result or incidental creation derived from an ongoing process or effort.
- catalystnoun
- A substance or factor that accelerates a chemical reaction or stimulates widespread systemic change without being consumed.
- comfort zonenoun
- The set of situations and habits in which a person feels safe and in control, without risk or anxiety. Leaving it is commonly described as a condition for learning and growth.
- Hectarenoun
- A metric unit of surface area equal to ten thousand square meters or roughly 2.471 acres.
Also from these editions: concepts
- Philosophical WisdomPhilosophical wisdom is the integrated capacity to synthesize deep moral understanding, sound ethical judgment, and lived experience in navigation of human life. It…
- David HumeDavid Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian and economist, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in Western philosophy. In Writing.2, the article…
- State of NatureThe state of nature is a foundational philosophical concept used to hypothesize the human condition prior to the establishment of organized political societies, civil…
- SophismA sophism is a plausibly phrased argument or line of reasoning that appears logically valid on the surface but contains an underlying intentional fallacy meant to…
- Action and Non-ActionAction and non-action represent complementary philosophical states governing human agency, existential responsibility, and systemic intervention within the world. While…
- YodaYoda is a character of the Star Wars films, an old Jedi master who trains others in the Force. In the Agency editorial, Writing.2 offers one of his sentences as an…
- Act of ExistenceThe act of existence is the name the author of the Agency editorial gives, in his own philosophical draft, to existing as something one does and answers for, not…
- IntelligenceIntelligence is the set of cognitive abilities that allow a mind to reason, solve problems, learn and adapt. The Agency editorial places it between cleverness and wisdom…
- WorldviewA worldview is the comprehensive cognitive framework of foundational beliefs, values, and assumptions through which an individual or cultural group interprets reality and…
- An Enquiry Concerning Human UnderstandingAn Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding is a book by the Scottish philosopher David Hume, first published in 1748. The Agency editorial takes from it the example of…