noun / verb
brevet
brih-VET/brɪˈvɛt/
An honorary military promotion without the full pay or authority of the rank.
The officer receives a brevet promotion for distinguished service during the campaign.
Etymology
The pieces mean a little letter or note. This document sense became specialized for a military commission granting higher rank without a corresponding advance in command.
More examples
- He held the brevet rank of major.
- The army brevetted him a colonel without increasing his pay.
- Her research follows officers who were breveted during the war.
Forms
brevet · brevets · breveted · brevetting · brevetted · breveting
Similar words
- promotion
- Promotion generally grants the rank's full benefits; a brevet can grant the title without full pay or authority.