Crossword Genius

It is briefly part of treatise (3)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

tis

'it is briefly' is the definition.
('tis' is short for 'it is'; 'briefly' indicates a short form)

'part of treatise' is the wordplay.
'part of' indicates a hidden word.
'TIS' is hidden within 'treatise'.

(Other definitions for tis that I've seen before include "McCourt work" , "... the season to be jolly" , "Sequel to "Angela's Ashes"" , "That thing's" , "Pacific trees" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.