Periphrasis is a roundabout or wordy way of saying something.
Periphrasis is a way of speaking or writing that uses more words than necessary.
| Front | periphrasis \puh-RIF-ruh-sis\ |
|---|---|
| Back | noun A roundabout way of saying something, using more words than necessary. [Via Latin, from Greek periphrasis, from periphrazein (to explain around), from peri- (around) + phrazein (to speak, say). First recorded use: 1533.] "Why the lawsuit? Pfizer said it had 'sought the assistance of the Philippine legal system' (an elegant periphrasis, that)." - High Blood; Philippine Daily Inquirer (Manila, Philippines); Nov 19, 2006. |
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