Correct spelling, explanation: the origin of the word brief can be found in the Latin word brevis and used to mean short, which is close to the modern meaning. Later, the word appeared in Old French, and finally, it entered Middle English in the form brief, which we use today.

Definition of brief:
1. adjective – something short and concise,
Please, give us a brief analysis of the project.
2. verb – to give instructions or details of something,
Could you brief me on the task so I could immediately get down to work?
3. noun – information or details of something,
I want to see the brief at my desk on Monday.

Expressions with brief:
Some interesting and useful expressions include:
1. in brief – to say something in a short way,
In brief, the party turned out to be a real disaster.
2. brief somebody on something – to inform somebody about something,
He briefed me on his future plans.
3. brief spell – a short period of time,
Once he had a brief spell as a waiter, but it wasn’t a good job for him.

Incorrect spelling, explanation: the pronunciation and spelling of the word brief are not difficult. Yet, many English users make a mistake by changing the order of -i and -e letters, which gives breif. The form is wrong, though, and the only correct option is brief.