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Periphrasis

//pəˈɹɪfɹəsɪs// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The use of a longer expression instead of a shorter one with a similar meaning, for example "I am going to" instead of "I will". countable, uncountable
  2. 2
    a style that involves indirect ways of expressing things wordnet
  3. 3
    Expressing a grammatical meaning (such as a tense) using a syntactic construction rather than morphological marking. countable, uncountable

    "Language learners sometimes use periphrases like "did go" where a native speaker would use "went"."

  4. 4
    The substitution of a descriptive word or phrase for a proper name (a type of circumlocution). countable, rhetoric, uncountable

    "Periphrasis a single thought expands, And uses many words for what but few demands."

  5. 5
    The use of a proper name as a shorthand to stand for qualities associated with it. countable, rhetoric, uncountable

Etymology

From Ancient Greek περίφρασις (períphrasis).

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