A double whole note, also known as a breve, is a musical symbol that represents a long note value. In some musical notations, double whole notes are referred to as "breves," "double wholes," or "semibreves." The term "breve" comes from the Latin word for "brief," which is ironic considering the length of the note it represents. The term "double whole" may also be used to refer to this symbol since it is twice as long as a whole note. Other synonyms for this note value include "double whole rest," "breve rest," and "longa," which is a medieval notation of the same value. Regardless of what it is called, the double whole note is a crucial part of musical notation and the building blocks of melody and harmony.