periphrase

noun
/ˈpɛɹi.fɹeɪz/UK

Etymology

From Latin periphrasis from Ancient Greek περίφρασις (períphrasis), from περιφράζομαι (periphrázomai, “to consider all sides of an issue”), from περί (perí, “around”) + φράζω (phrázō, “to show, point out”). See phrase.

Definitions

  1. The use of more words than are necessary to express the idea

    The use of more words than are necessary to express the idea; a roundabout, or indirect, way of speaking; circumlocution.

    • 1821, Thomas De Quincey, John Paul Frederick Richter (published in London Magazine To describe all those on whom the fates of Troy hinged , by enigmatic periphrases
    • He held up the condition of the Church in the terrible mirror of his unflinching speech, which called things by their right names and dealt in no polite periphrases[…]
  2. To express by periphrase or circumlocution.

  3. To use circumlocution.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for periphrase. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA