adjectiveadverb

kurz

short

Etwas hat nur eine kleine Länge oder dauert nicht lange.

kurz is an adjective and adverb meaning short, brief, or concise.

It can describe:

Limited length or distance:
ein kurzer Rock — a short skirt
Der Weg ist kurz. — The way is short.
Limited duration:
eine kurze Pause — a short break
Ich bleibe nur kurz. — I will stay only briefly.
Concise or not detailed:
eine kurze Antwort — a brief answer
Kurz gesagt: Es funktioniert nicht. — In short: It does not work.
A point shortly before or after something:
kurz vor dem Essen — shortly before the meal
kurz danach — shortly afterward

In some contexts, kurz can also describe hair that has been cut close to the head:
Sie trägt die Haare kurz. — She wears her hair short.

kurz is an adjective. It can also be used adverbially without an ending:

Its comparison forms are:

The word comes from Middle High German kurz and ultimately derives from Latin curtus, meaning “short” or “cut short.”

knapp — concise or brief; it can also mean “scarce” or “barely sufficient,” so it is not always interchangeable with kurz.
kurzzeitig — short-term or temporary; it refers specifically to duration.
brief — brief or concise, often used for texts, statements, or communication.
kompakt — compact and concise, often suggesting that a lot of information is presented efficiently.
flüchtig — fleeting or superficial; unlike kurz, it often implies a lack of depth or permanence.

lang — long; the most direct antonym when referring to length or duration.
ausführlich — detailed or extensive; the opposite of kurz when referring to an explanation or text.
weit — far or distant; the opposite of kurz when referring to distance.
dauerhaft — lasting or permanent; the opposite of kurzzeitig rather than of kurz in every context.