Apostolical brief
| See under Brief. | |
| a letter of the pope written on fine parchment in modern characters, subscribed by the secretary of briefs, dated "a die Nativitatis," i. e., "from the day of the Nativity," and sealed with the ring of the fisherman. It differs from a bull, in its parchment, written character, date, and seal. See Bull. |
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, published 1913 by G. & C. Merriam Co.