periphrase

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

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈpɛɹiː.fɹeɪz/
• Homophones: paraphrase (if the second vowel is pronounced as a schwa, as it sometimes is)

periphrase (countable and uncountable, plural periphrases)

1. (rhetoric) The use of more words than are necessary to express the idea; a roundabout, or indirect, way of speaking; circumlocution.
   • De Quincey

     To describe by enigmatic periphrases.

   • 1863, George Eliot, Romola, Volume III, Book III, Chapter VI, page 56

     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 […]

• periphrasis

• periphrasic

periphrase (third-person singular simple present periphrases, present participle periphrasing, simple past and past participle periphrased)

1. (transitive) To express by periphrase or circumlocution.
2. (intransitive) To use circumlocution.