What does semibreve mean?
A semibreve is a musical note whose duration is equal to two crotchets, or half a whole note. It is written with an open notehead and an upright stem, and may be prolonged at the performer or conductor's discretion. The word belongs especially to British musical terminology, where it is also commonly called a minim; in the United States, “half note” is the usual term. A semibreve can occur alone, be dotted to add half its usual value, or be tied to another note to indicate a longer duration. The term is especially useful when reading older British scores, formal harmony and theory books, or music exchanged between players accustomed to different systems of note naming.
nounA musical note equal in duration to two crotchets, or half a whole note. In American usage, it is usually called a half note.
- A musical note equal in time value to two crotchets or half a whole note.
- The written symbol for such a note.
"The final phrase ends with a semibreve held until the conductor lowers the baton."
"The second semibreve is marked slightly louder than the first."
"The score calls for a semibreve rest before the final entrance."
The plural is used when referring to multiple notes of this duration or their written symbols.
"The last four measures contain four semibreves."
A semibreve divides the whole note into halves, but it takes its name from a musical notation tradition that is now more familiar in Britain than in the United States.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does semibreve come from?
The word combines the Latin prefix semi-, meaning “half,” with breve, a term derived from Latin brevis, meaning “short.” The resulting form literally refers to a note of half the value of a breve. Its related forms include the English octave and semitone, while the musical term minim belongs to a separate naming tradition based on the relative lengths of notes.
Related word forms
How semibreve is actually used
The term is used chiefly in British English and in formal British musical terminology. American musicians normally say “half note.”
Easily confused with semibreve
A minim is the chiefly British formal name for a half note, while a semibreve is the equivalent term used in traditional British nomenclature.
A semibreve lasts half as long as a breve, which is equivalent in duration to a whole note.